Chapter 150

Hearing this, Chen Shicheng instead let out a sigh of relief.

Since the other party sought him out because of the mask, it means they don't know his true identity, nor do they know his trump cards.

There's still a fight!

The other party specially created this environment where teleportation is impossible, likely because they saw his level wasn't high, so they set up a one-on-one situation, thinking they had him in the bag.

Indeed, the Eye of Bai Ze first failed appraisal, then succeeded but only showed a string of question marks, indicating the other party is at least three levels above him.

Of course this is just the ideal scenario; since this monk dares to do this, he must think he has him in the bag.

Unfortunately, he guessed wrong; Chen Shicheng's strength, due to the presence of the Heaven-Hanging Pendant, is already unrelated to his level, and he happened to trap him here while he still had over twenty thousand merit points left…

After confirming he had a chance to counterattack, Chen Shicheng showed no panic, raised his head and countered, "So, what do you want?"

After trapping him here, the person didn't attack right away, suggesting he had something to ask, and Chen Shicheng also had a few questions.

"You also have the Yin Blood Tai Sui in your hand, right?" the monk suddenly asked.

"Yin Blood Tai Sui? What is that?"

Chen Shicheng looked puzzled, tilting his head and asking back in confusion.

"Hehe."

The monk seemed to have already determined the Tai Sui was on him, snorted coldly and said, "First, relinquish the contract over the Yin Blood Tai Sui and hand it over."

"Second, hand over the Eye of Bai Ze, the Evil Ghost Mask, and the Yellow Turban Strongman Bean Seed from Yu Wei's person."

"Third, reveal Shuigu Tang's true identity and location."

"If you agree to these three conditions, I can guarantee not to kill you, and I can even graciously let you join the Silent Council, replacing Yu Wei as an outer member."

Aside from the third condition being negotiable, the other two Chen Shicheng could never agree to.

However, he didn't outright refuse, instead asking casually, "Joining you isn't impossible, but why must you seek that Shuigu Tang person?"

"Of course it's..."

As soon as the monk opened his mouth, he realized something was off, immediately shut up, narrowed his eyes at Chen Shicheng, and asked, "Are you trying to pump me for information?"

"Nothing of the sort, I'm just curious—what benefits does joining you offer?" Chen Shicheng smiled innocently.

"All the better." The monk stared at Chen Shicheng for a moment, finding no flaw, then continued, "After joining us, anything the Cultural Tourism Bureau Logistics Department can give you, we can also give; and what they can't give you, we can still provide."

"For example?"

"For example, if you earn merit, we can recommend you to study at the Great Cloud Temple, where countless Buddhist divine abilities are yours to choose, and there are countless magical treasures and relics; I can personally decide not to reclaim the Eye of Bai Ze, letting you keep using it."

Hearing this, Chen Shicheng gained an important piece of information: this monk is likely a monk from the Great Cloud Temple, that sect probably colludes with the Silent Council, and moreover is frantically collecting various relics from domestic players.

Then they use these relics to drive other players to work for them, until, like Yu Wei, they have no more use value, after which they recycle them and pass them on to the next person…

"What a well-laid plan!" Chen Shicheng cursed inwardly, but his face showed a hint of interest, "Aside from the Great Cloud Temple, is there no other option? I don't want to shave my head."

"Other sects are certainly fine as well; even switching cultivation systems abroad we can arrange."

The monk, having learned his lesson, said no more, his tone somewhat impatient, "I don't have time to chat here; make a decision quickly, or don't blame me for turning hostile." Is he rushing to the god temple, or is the Buddha-state in his palm limited in duration?

Chen Shicheng's eyes shifted, he asked anxiously, "If I agree to your three conditions, will you not pursue Yu Wei's matter and let me join you?"

"Of course, I see you also have the root of wisdom, which is why I feel reluctant to waste talent; otherwise, ordinary people couldn't possibly make me waste my words!" The monk nodded satisfactorily.

"Then it's settled… By the way, what benefits do you offer?"

"You'll know once you join; hurry up and hand over the items."

"If I hand them over, you won't go back on your word, will you?"

"Are you joining us or not?"

The smile on the monk's face could no longer be held; Chen Shicheng's repeated stalling made him sense something was off—even if his chanting had become foolish, he knew this person seemed to be toying with him! "I've just given it careful thought; you're not an official position, you don't even provide the five insurances and one fund, so forget it, I'm not joining." Chen Shicheng said ruefully.

"You're playing me!" The monk was certain that just now this person was indeed messing with him, "Since you're seeking death, don't blame me for my wrathful vajra gaze!"

Saying this, he put his palms together, chanted a Buddhist name, and his whole body turned glittering with golden light.

Unlike Chen Shicheng's golden light spell, his body seemed coated with a layer of gold powder, giving a metallic feel.

"Demonsubduing Great Palm Seal!"

A golden palm print the size of a sedan's hood came pushing forward; Chen Shicheng moved his feet and immediately activated Plum Blossom Three Variations to dodge the strike.

But this golden space suddenly solidified, making him feel as if he were moving through water, and the golden palm print also erupted with a strong momentum.

In a daze, his vision seemed to show a towering vajra deity, which startled him for a moment.

Although he quickly came to his senses, that brief pause had the palm print already pressing right before him.

"MD, are you the only one who can transform?"

"Golden Light Divine Spell! Fourth Lord possesses me, Great Immortal-Slaying Formation!"

In the flash of lightning and stone, Chen Shicheng buffed all his enhancement skills, then swung his right hand fiercely from low to high.

"Ten Shakes, Ten Decisions!"

Fifty sword qi formed a blade wall, flying out almost simultaneously and colliding with the approaching palm print.

"Boom!"

A massive shockwave erupted, blasting a huge crater in the ground, accompanied by piled snow and rubble; Chen Shicheng lightly tapped his foot and retreated backward, putting distance between himself and his opponent.

However, he still underestimated the power of his full-force strike and the opponent's Demonsubduing Great Palm Print; the shockwave's aftermath instantly caught up to him, sweeping over his entire body.

"Pfft!"

Even with the golden light spell protecting him, the aftermath's force still injured his viscera, making him involuntarily spit out a mouthful of clotted blood.

To reserve enough true essence for battle, Chen Shicheng did not use Universal Rainfall; instead, he took out the small red bottle he had just won as loot, popped the cap with his thumb, and gulped it down to heal his wounds.

Of course, he felt terrible, and the monk opposite also looked somewhat disheveled; his monk's robes were torn to shreds, unable to maintain the appearance of a senior monk, and a trickle of golden blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.

(End of chapter)