Chapter 1924: Strong Ones Gather, Cangzhou in Crisis

Those eyes gradually focused, and a figure stood in the sky; behind it, a huge silhouette could be seen—the silhouette of an ancient giant beast, condensed in the sky, appearing illusory yet utterly real.

A savage aura surged forward, and the crowd was awed by that figure, all standing still, motionless; that figure was no different from the true form of the Kunpeng Guardian, indeed even more savage and imposing.

A heavy feeling, as if heaven and earth were shaken, a burly man stood in the sky; he lowered his gaze to scan the crowd and said contemptuously, "Do you intend to defy this Dharma Protector's orders?"

"The Kunpeng Guardian is one of my Myriad Demon Hall's Dharma Protectors; he is dead, so his fleshly body naturally ought to be returned to my Myriad Demon Hall. You killed one of my Myriad Demon Hall's Dharma Protectors—this debt has not yet been settled with you. Are you determined to stop this Dharma Protector?"

"Xin Wuhen, and Azure Heaven Person, you two openly defy the Myriad Demon Hall?"

The Azure Heaven Person raised his sword, unafraid, and replied, "Pig Dharma Protector, don't try to intimidate us; the Kunpeng Guardian was slain by us, so he rightfully belongs to us—he is our spoil of war, not something you can resist or… take away. If you want to take his corpse, you can, provided you defeat us; otherwise, we don't mind killing another of your Split Souls."

"Others may fear your Myriad Demon Hall, but I am not afraid."

Elder Xin Wuhen spoke coldly: "Exactly, Pig Dharma Protector, you wouldn't think we are the beasts of your Myriad Demon Hall, would you? We would obey your orders? Anyway, we have already slain one of your Dharma Protectors; we don't mind sending you on your way."

Mulong Tian bared his teeth in a cold smile: "Perfect—let's send you all on your way together, so the left and right Dharma Protectors of your Myriad Demon Hall fall together. I wonder if your Myriad Demon Hall still dares to be so arrogant."

The three of them were of one mind; since they had already slain a Dharma Protector, adding another and slaying it too was fine.

At worst, they would merely pay some additional price.

They had already paid so much; they didn't mind paying a bit more.

Diewumeng and the others remained silent, not intervening in their fight, but waiting for them to act; let the internal strife of Lingzhou play out among themselves—they would not take part or lend aid. Those Lingzhou people were overly arrogant; although the profit distribution had been agreed upon, in the end they refused to acknowledge it.

If so, then let them slaughter each other—perfect, letting them play the role of the fisherman who gains from the clash.

As the saying goes, "When the snipe and the clam grapple, the fisherman profits."

The Pig Dharma Protector scoffed, "With just your few wounded bodies, you also want to kill this Dharma Protector?"

"Or do you also intend to join forces with them?"

Diewumeng immediately shook her head: "We will not take part in your fight; please proceed."

The Tian Du Dragon King and his companions remained silent; Diewumeng's stance represented theirs, and the people of Cangzhou were of one mind, with no one objecting.

The faces of the three from Lingzhou darkened; they never expected Diewumeng to sow discord at such a moment, refusing to join them against the Pig Dharma Protector. If they chose to stand by and watch, relying on just those few of them would be unable to oppose the Pig Dharma Protector, let alone slay him.

The Pig Dharma Protector was in his prime, uninjured; even a single Split Soul of his was enough to make those three wounded bodies wary. Elder Xin Wuhen immediately said, "Diewumeng, don't forget—we are allies; you cannot stand idly by."

"Exactly, Diewumeng, are you going to break our agreement?" Mulong Tian also grew flustered.

Having lost the aid of the Cangzhou populace, relying on just those three to face the Pig Dharma Protector—frankly, it was weak.

"Hehehe, Elder Xin Wuhen, Mulong Tian, just now you two weren't saying that—you aren't that capable? Trust your own strength to slay this Split Soul of the Pig Dharma Protector; as for us, our agreement with you has already ended, so there's no talk of betraying an agreement."

"When you need us, you acknowledge us as allies; when you don't, you'd rather kill us—hehehe."

"Pig Dharma Protector, go ahead and kill as you please; we will not intervene or lend aid."

Diewumeng loudly declared her stance to the Pig Dharma Protector, raising her hand; all the demon beasts of the Mangshan Demon Palace retreated, yielding the battlefield, and the crowds of Tian Du Men and the Dust Accumulation Sect departed one after another.

The scene instantly emptied.

Diewumeng and company withdrew as well, letting them fight—go ahead, fight however you like.

Seeing this, the Pig Dharma Protector grew excited and said, "Elder Xin Wuhen, Mulong Tian, and Azure Heaven Person, you three are truly determined to stop this Dharma Protector?"

The Azure Heaven Person gripped his sword, his gaze growing ever colder.

Beset on front and back, Diewumeng and the others would not let this rest; once they engaged, no matter the outcome, they would suffer greatly.

Could Elder Xin Wuhen fail to understand? Diewumeng and company aim to reap the fisherman's benefit—whether they slay the Pig Dharma Protector's Split Soul or the Protector slays them, in the end both sides will surely suffer mutual loss, while Diewumeng can overcome them without lifting a finger, thus defeating them.

That scheme is truly formidable.

"Pig Dharma Protector, do you dare to make a move? If we clash, the ones who will surely benefit are not us but those people of Cangzhou, who wish to be the fisherman; are you certain you want to fight us?" Elder Xin Wuhen warned, urging the Pig Dharma Protector not to act rashly.

The Pig Dharma Protector cared not at all, saying, "So what? Spending a single Split Soul to make you perish body and soul—this deal is quite worthwhile, what do you say?"

The three fell silent.

When calculated like this, it is indeed so; this transaction is truly worthwhile.

They truly did not want to fight, did not want to become others' wedding dress, but now they were stuck; who could have expected the Pig Dharma Protector to arrive so swiftly, his Split Soul descending here, the cost they would pay not small—for the corpse of the Kunpeng Guardian, and also to slay them.

"Are you willing to let this Split Soul fall here?" Elder Xin Wuhen was betting, wagering that neither side would dare to act, hoping to resolve the matter peacefully.

The Pig Dharma Protector snorted coldly, "What do you think?"

"Are you the ones who are afraid, or am I?"

If a Split Soul dies, it dies; the true body still lives, whereas those three are true bodies—if they die, they truly die.

Being able to inflict heavy damage on them, causing the Heavenly Heart Sect and other sects to collapse, utterly slaying three Strong Ones—afterward they could no longer threaten the Myriad Demon Hall; for the Myriad Demon Hall, this would be a great boon.

They reached a stalemate, neither side wishing to make a move, thus maintaining the standoff.

Diewumeng and company immediately took medicine, also giving an Eighth-grade Pill to the Heaven Sword True Person, swiftly recovering.

Time was what they needed most, and medicinal pills could swiftly restore their strength.

Everyone covertly recuperated, without causing much disturbance; the three Tian Du Dragon Kings stood together, their strength swiftly returning, while all this, Xin Wuhen and the others remained unaware, their minds entangled by the Pig Dharma Protector, unable to divert attention to oversee those few.

This was their opportunity, the best chance to recover.