Chapter 261

Between life and death, Zhou Qing only felt a chilling coldness shoot straight from the soles of his feet to his crown.

The ring-blade of the Kudi mummy, radiating an aura of decay and carrying terrifying momentum, was already less than half a foot above his head.

Without hesitation, he immediately activated the inscription-grade divine ability, "Hundred Tribulations Blood Curtain."

After all, this was the strongest killing move he currently possessed.

Within the Taiqingmen grotto-heaven, the first-generation ancestor puppet had practiced it with him repeatedly many times.

Facing a super-expert at the Great Perfection of the Soul Severance Realm, ordinary divine abilities were nothing more than a mantis trying to stop a chariot; it was simply impossible to contend with them.

In an instant, beneath the golden halo originally radiating from Zhou Qing's body, a blindingly dazzling blood-red light suddenly surged up.

This blood light seemed to rise from the depths of the Nine Nether Hells, carrying an endless aura of slaughter.

Immediately following, a massive blood phoenix rapidly emerged from that dense blood-colored radiance.

As soon as the blood phoenix appeared in the world, it tilted its head and let out a deafening shriek; the sound pierced through space, causing the surrounding air to vibrate violently and emit dull, explosive sounds.

The blood phoenix's feathers were scarlet as blood, each one shimmering with an eerie luster, especially wrapped in blood-colored flames, as if they had been soaked in fresh blood for countless ages.

Behind it, there was also a seemingly boundless blood curtain churning incessantly, and even more, wave after wave of a blood sea surged and ebbed within it.

Every surge seemed as if it would drag all things in the world into that endless abyss.

Swish!

A sharp sound of breaking wind rang out, and a feather suddenly appeared in the churning blood sea.

This feather was densely carved with Dao patterns.

These Dao patterns were strangely shaped, as if recording the most ancient and primordial laws between heaven and earth, exuding an ancient and substantial aura.

As Zhou Qing's intent shifted, that feather instantly transformed into a streak of brilliant blood light, sinking into Zhou Qing's hand.

This series of changes, seemingly slow, were all completed in the blink of an eye, leaving one breathless.

At this moment, the Kudi mummy had already attacked, the ring-blade carrying a fierce gale as it slashed straight down.

Zhou Qing's expression was solemn; he slowly extended his index finger and lightly pointed forward: "Sever!"

A blood-red light shot dazzlingly from Zhou Qing's fingertip; within the light, ancient Dao patterns flickered and danced.

Wherever it passed, space was directly torn apart, revealing pitch-black cracks from which endless dark energy surged.

Seeing this, the Kudi mummy seemed to sense the terrifying power of this strike; its originally fierce offensive stalled slightly, and then, it decisively switched from offense to defense, holding its ring-blade horizontally.

Boom!

The moment the light made contact with the ring-blade, a dull roar was heard, causing the entire ancient temple to shake violently.

Following this, the temple walls began to crack and collapse, with large chunks of brick and stone falling one after another.

The ground also could not bear the weight, appearing with huge cracks.

The ring-blade in the Kudi mummy's hand was directly sent flying under the impact of this overwhelming force.

Kudi itself was directly knocked away, finally crashing heavily into the distant mountain wall.

With a "Boom—" sound, the mountain wall directly collapsed, and countless giant boulders rolled down, burying the Kudi mummy within them.

Zhou Qing's face turned pale, a trace of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, and he felt a wave of intense weakness wash over him; his legs went soft, and he nearly fell to the ground.

But his eyes were full of excitement.

This was the terrifying power of an inscription-grade divine ability!

Merely meeting the battle in haste, and having only comprehended a single Phoenix Dao pattern, he had actually directly knocked away a terrifying, near-mindless mummy at the Great Perfection of the Soul Severance Realm.

One must know, the "Hundred Tribulations Blood Curtain" in its perfected state possessed a full three thousand Phoenix Dao patterns; its power could be described as world-destroying, no wonder it could rival Dao-trace-grade divine abilities.

At this moment, Shen Hanyi was already stunned, standing frozen on the spot, her beautiful eyes wide open, looking at this scene in disbelief.

Especially the incomparably huge blood phoenix behind Zhou Qing, and the various Dao patterns circling and flickering around the blood phoenix, left her even more shocked.

"Inscription-grade divine ability—" her lips trembled slightly as she muttered to herself.

At this moment, she was even more certain that the Number One before her was that Abbot Ku'e of the Jiyuan Temple.

It was rumored that Zen Master Ku'e had long since broken through that shackle, stepped into the realm of the transcendent and holy, and mastered an incomparably powerful inscription-grade divine ability, yet no one had ever had the fortune to witness him perform it.

But just now, the peak technique among ordinary divine abilities, "Subduing Demon Golden Bone," was truly and clearly displayed before her eyes; this point was beyond doubt and could not be fake.

Thus, it seemed he really was at the level of a senior.

Soon, from the place where the Kudi mummy was buried by the giant boulders, a violent tremor came.

Immediately following, a withered arm reached out from the pile of stones, and then, the figure of the Kudi mummy slowly stood up from the ruins.

Zhou Qing's heart tightened, but at this moment his spiritual power was nearly exhausted, and his body was also extremely fatigued; even the "Di Huang Jing" could not be performed.

But in order not to arouse suspicion, Zhou Qing let out a light sigh and sat cross-legged right there.

And that Kudi mummy slowly raised its arm; the ring-blade that had fallen now automatically flew back into its hand.

It stared at Zhou Qing, let out a low growl, and then charged toward Zhou Qing again.

Shen Hanyi was about to step forward to block it, but Zhou Qing spoke: "Enough, let's go!"

Subsequently, Zhou Qing's figure dimmed, and he began to exit.

The Kudi mummy, having lost its target, arrived in an instant; Shen Hanyi, because she gave up the confrontation and could not dodge in time, was actually cut in half at the waist by the ring-blade in the Kudi mummy's hand.

After the two turned back into light spots, the atmosphere was somewhat awkward for a moment.

"Senior—" after a moment of silence, Shen Hanyi took the initiative to speak first; this time she no longer had the slightest doubt, and her voice was full of respect.

And Zhou Qing, who had returned to his peak state, was full of excitement as he digested the Buddhist divine ability "Subduing Demon Golden Bone."

After all, this divine ability seemed even more advanced than ordinary ones, yet slightly lower than inscription-grade divine abilities; its unique system of tempering bones made Zhou Qing feel as if he had found a treasure.

Hearing Shen Hanyi's words at this moment, Zhou Qing could not help but be stunned, and asked with a puzzled face: "What?"

Shen Hanyi tilted her head slightly and said straightforwardly: "Zen Master Ku'e, there are no outsiders here, let's just speak plainly."

Zhou Qing was stunned.

But soon he guessed something and was left between laughter and tears.

It seemed Shen Hanyi had mistaken him for another Zen Master who had practiced "Subduing Demon Golden Bone."

After all, he had heard the monks' discussions.

Zen Master Ku'e, presumably, was the Abbot of Jiyuan Temple, the senior brother of Kudi.

However—

This seemed quite good; at the very least, she wouldn't temporarily suspect him.

Shen Hanyi saw Zhou Qing's silence and continued: "It is rumored that you had long since fallen due to the exhaustion of your lifespan; now it seems, it must be that you, Senior, used a great divine ability to conceal yourself and have been practicing in seclusion in the shadows."

"But since you, Senior, have long known my true identity, yet did not make a move, presumably you have other plans; Senior, you might as well speak plainly, or tell me a place, and I, the junior, will come to find you."

Zhou Qing's mouth curled up slightly; sure enough, she had guessed the wrong person.

But he remained calm on the surface, pondered slightly, and said: "You've misunderstood; I don't know what you're talking about, and I'm not the person you think I am; monks do not tell lies... well, right?"

Shen Hanyi: "..."

"Don't come looking for me; some things can be said here, but in reality, if things go wrong, I might really take your life; that's all, this old man has things to do, so I'm leaving first!"

Zhou Qing deliberately warned her not to foolishly run to that Jiyuan Temple to have a showdown, lest she lose her life!

After speaking, he exited and left.

Watching the red light ball of Number One dissipate, Shen Hanyi was silent.

At this time, the green ball of Number Four and the cyan ball of Number Five appeared, and they couldn't help but greet: "Yo, Little Sister Number Six is here; do you have time to explore together?"

Shen Hanyi glanced coldly at the green ball of Number Four, a hint of indifference in her eyes, and said unceremoniously: "You'd better let the purple ball of Number Seven 'satisfy' you first before talking."

After speaking, she no longer lingered and exited the virtual space.

The green ball of Number Four immediately started cursing.

That damn Number Seven, you just wait; this seat has already dispatched over thirty Soul Severance Realm experts to search everywhere for that forbidden zone you manifested.

When the time comes, I will definitely make you enjoy what so-called "satisfaction" is like.

"Number Five, this time I have to trouble you for help again!" Number Four quickly suppressed his displeasure and said.

The cyan ball of Number Five let out a hearty laugh and said easily: "Small matter, let's go in!"

"Okay, I'll invite you!" After speaking, the two sank into the screen and disappeared.

In the room, Zhou Qing opened his eyes with joy.

He kept looking inside at his golden bones that had transformed; fortunately, his teeth were as white as ever, otherwise, he would really be mistaken for having tacky gold teeth.

"I'm basically directly copying someone else's hard work; this 'Subduing Demon Golden Bone' not only makes one's bones extremely hard, but can also suppress one's own obsession spirits and help with Soul Severance!"

Zhou Qing, while feeling the powerful strength coming from his bones, kept savoring the many wonderful uses of this divine ability according to the memory he had obtained.

"I wonder if I can pass it on to the Supreme Elder and Master and the others?" Zhou Qing muttered to himself, but quickly shook his head.

This matter was inappropriate.

First, according to the perspective of Master Kudi in the past, this "Subduing Demon Golden Bone" had only been successfully practiced by two people so far, and that was at the Soul Severance Realm level.

One didn't need to think to know how difficult it was to practice this technique.

It could even be said that he was probably the third person in this world, and the one who had mastered "Subduing Demon Golden Bone" at the Divine Transformation Realm level.

The Supreme Elder and Master and the others were already advanced in age and didn't have much lifespan left to consume; the success rate of practicing this technique was probably negligible.

And if it were discovered by the monks of the Jiyuan Temple, a fifth-level cultivation nation, it would be another unclear trouble; it might even bring a catastrophe to the Taiqingmen.

"However, now that my bones are almost indestructible, even if I'm cut, I can recover in an instant; this is the most terrifying part."

Zhou Qing clenched his fists, feeling the surging power within his body.

"It's a pity that the spiritual power consumed is truly terrifying, but as long as I don't face the Soul Severance Realm, it shouldn't be a big problem!"

Thinking of this, Zhou Qing's eyes were full of excitement.

He was already at the mid-stage of the Divine Transformation Realm and could 100% crush those of the same level and kill those of a higher level.

Now, with "Subduing Demon Golden Bone" and the inscription-grade divine ability "Hundred Tribulations Blood Curtain," even if he faced the Great Perfection of the Divine Transformation Realm, he would have no fear.

"Three 【Corpse-Touching Posts】, I've made a huge profit!" Zhou Qing was overjoyed.

【Today's posts are refreshing...】

【New post is already in the Strange Qi Qi Tie Lu, please check in time.】

Just at this moment, a familiar prompt sound came from his mind.

Zhou Qing couldn't help but blink.

No, he had just finished consuming the 【Corpse-Touching Posts】, and a new post had refreshed?

Is it this random?

He couldn't care about anything else and hurriedly looked at the Strange Qi Qi Tie Lu; he saw a yellowed post quietly embedded on the front page.

The characters on it were crooked, as if written with a dead tree branch dipped in ink, exuding an eerie, ghostly light.

【Bad Luck Post: Can be cast into another's body; once hit, bad luck will follow like a shadow, and disasters will follow one after another; valid for three days!】

Zhou Qing: "..."

Heh!

It really was a coincidence; at the Qingyu Qingshu Qingshu Xian Zong, the white-clothed man Lin Jin helped him divert attention, allowing him to successfully escape the encirclement of Immortal Xuanyou and the others.

And the condition was a 【Bad Luck Post】; he had been worried it wouldn't refresh, but he didn't expect it to come now.

This was also good; he could settle this karma as soon as possible; after all, he hated owing others things the most.

"It's a pity that I've only comprehended one Phoenix Dao pattern so far and can't condense the 【Blood Phoenix Tribulation Crystal】; I need at least five!"

Zhou Qing frowned slightly, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes.

The 【Blood Phoenix Tribulation Crystal】 was an extremely special part of this inscription-grade divine ability "Hundred Tribulations Blood Curtain," especially when facing a large number of enemies; its effect could be described as terrifying.

Once the sky-covering blood-wing phantom was unfolded, it could slaughter enemies within the range.

Subsequently, the essence and spiritual power of these enemies would automatically condense into blood crystals, which could be directly refined without any side effects.

As someone who had achieved the Four Flowers Gathering at the Top, the spiritual power required for his breakthrough far exceeded that of his peers; such an item was simply most suitable for him.

"Master got me five supreme-grade wood-attribute spirit stones from the Qingyu Qingshu Qingshu Xian Zong; if I want to condense another Phoenix Dao pattern, I need at least five more!"

But the current resource reserves of the Taiqingmen were already stretched thin; if he wanted to obtain more, he would have to find another way and think of a solution himself.

"Little Sect Master!" Just at this moment, a familiar voice came from outside.

Zhou Qing walked out in confusion and discovered that the visitor was Elder Jiang Pu of the Soul Lamp Tower.

And on his head, the entry note 【A brave, resourceful, and somewhat powerful child】 was still hanging.

【Heart Appraisal Points +9】

The next moment, the note on his head changed to 【The most precious treasure of our Taiqingmen】.

Zhou Qing: "..."

At this moment, Jiang Pu looked respectful, bowed solemnly to Zhou Qing, and said with a sincere tone.

"Little Sect Master, before the Sect Master senior brother went into seclusion, he specifically urged me to come and ask you if you could reconsider and spare some soul power to relight the soul fire."

After hearing this, Zhou Qing immediately understood.

This was because he had become the Little Sect Master of the Taiqingmen, and everyone was worried about his safety.

Once he was in danger, the soul fire could issue a warning at the first opportunity, allowing the elders in the sect to discover it in time and come to the rescue.

At that time, he had insisted on taking back the soul lamp because he was worried that Senior Uncle Gao Xuan and Elder Jiang Pu were colluding in secret and harboring evil intentions.

Of course, now the two no longer had any suspicion.

But if there were no special circumstances simulated by the Shenxu Tiangong, relighting the soul fire would undoubtedly be a powerful defensive backing for him.

But whenever he thought of the simulated state, dying again and again and reviving again and again, causing the soul fire to flicker constantly, which was highly likely to trigger a series of troubles, he felt a sense of resistance in his heart.

"Elder Jiang, let's forget it; I'm the type of person who likes the thrill of finding life in death!" Zhou Qing said with a smile, his tone carrying a sense of detachment.

Elder Jiang Pu seemed to have expected Zhou Qing to answer this way and didn't have the slightest intention of forcing him, just nodded slightly.

"Alright then, anyway, I don't have anything particularly urgent on weekdays; I'll come and ask again in a few months; maybe you'll change your mind by then."

After Elder Jiang Pu finished speaking, he bowed to Zhou Qing again and then turned and left.

Zhou Qing shook his head helplessly, squatted down to hold the hen in his arms, and just as he was about to go in, another tetanus-like figure arrived.

"Little Sect Master—" Elder Wu Zhu shouted loudly.

Zhou Qing turned around in confusion.

Now the acting Sect Master was Master Mo Xingjian; what was Elder Wu Zhu, as the boundary-guarding elder, looking for him for?

"Little Sect Master, there is a white-clothed man outside the mountain gate looking for you; I asked him his name, but he refused to say, and he keeps his back to me, so I can't see his appearance at all."

Elder Wu Zhu said hurriedly after landing.

Zhou Qing was stunned; what was going on today?

He had just refreshed the 【Bad Luck Post】, and the creditor asking for the post had come to the door.

"I know!" Zhou Qing said, holding the hen and heading out.

Elder Wu Zhu also hurriedly followed.

Especially looking at Zhou Qing's back, his face was full of admiration.

Who would have thought that after guarding the boundary gate of the Taiqingmen for thousands of years, he would finally be lucky enough to touch the secret of controlling the two-colored array.

He had watched this child, Zhou Qing, grow up step by step, from the ignorance and immaturity when he first entered the Taiqingmen to the calmness and capability of today.

In the entire fourth-level cultivation nation, second-level array masters were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns, even rarer than the legendary Soul Severance Realm, totaling no more than nine.

And their small Taiqingmen actually occupied one; what kind of glory and rarity was this.

At the same time, Lanshan!

The once vast and continuous mountain range was now lifeless, and even this sky was naturally covered by thick, layered dark clouds, with not a single ray of sunlight penetrating through.

And in the central area, there was an even larger abyss lying across it.

This was the place where the five major sects of the Eastern Region joined forces to fight a decisive battle against millions of demonic beasts back then.

Countless people fell here, especially the disciples, Sect Masters, and ancestors of thousands of large and small sects in the entire Eastern Region were all annihilated here.

Along with the three major sects of the Jin Leizong, Qingyu Qingshu Qingshu Xian Zong, and Tianji Sect, less than 20% of the people who finally escaped were left from their peak period.

This was still under the condition that Si Kong Yan deliberately let them go.

Afterwards, he directly detonated the incomplete five-colored array and the complete four-colored array, completely turning this area into a land of dense resentment.

That kind of obsession of unwillingness, pain, and hatred intertwined with the pungent, rotten stench permeating the air, forming an atmosphere that was nauseating and terrifying.

But if one looked closely, at the edge of this abyss, which had almost become a place everyone talked about with fear, two monks, one big and one small, had appeared at some unknown time.

They sat quietly cross-legged, muttering constantly.

The older monk wore a tattered but clean gray monk robe, his eyes deep and serene, revealing compassion and peace.

The little monk looked to be seven or eight years old, wearing a slightly oversized monk robe, his young face full of focus and piety.

Their lips parted slightly, chanting ancient scriptures, while the black-threaded resentment hovering over the abyss gradually became thin and transparent, finally dissipating into the air.

Each dissipation of resentment was accompanied by streaks of golden light flickering, quietly sinking into the bodies of the two monks.

As time passed, golden light gradually gathered on the older monk's body, enveloping him, making him look like a golden Buddha statue.

A faint golden halo also appeared on the little monk's face, making his eyes even brighter.

About two hours later, the little monk's stomach suddenly let out a slight rumbling sound.

Immediately following, he couldn't help but let out a burp, his body swayed, and then he stopped.

"Master, my Bodhi heart has absorbed almost enough; if I continue to transform, I feel like I'm going to vomit."

The little monk wiped the fine sweat from his forehead and then whispered to the older monk.

His little face turned red; clearly, this long-duration, high-intensity transformation work had already pushed his body and spirit to the limit.

Hearing the little monk's words, the older monk also slowly stopped his movements, a gentle smile appearing on his face.

"No matter, the matter of transformation cannot be rushed; it needs to be done step by step. That you can persist for so long today has already far exceeded my expectations; it is truly not easy."

Subsequently, the older monk gently patted the little monk's shoulder, his eyes full of praise and love.

"The resentment in this abyss is too strong; even for me, it is difficult to bear for a long time."

"That you can use your young body to help these many resentments find liberation is a great act of kindness; the merit accumulated will surely bless you in the future."

The little monk heard his master's words, and a shy smile appeared on his originally tired face.

Then he nodded and said: "Master, I know. But there is so much resentment; when will we be able to transform it all clean?"

The older monk looked at the abyss with deep eyes, his expression calm, and said slowly: "My Buddha is compassionate, transforming all living beings, not seeking success in a single day."

"Moreover, being able to find such a place is also of great benefit to our cultivation, and it is an excellent opportunity to temper the Bodhi heart."

"No matter what you do, don't be impatient; as long as you have compassion in your heart and stick to your original heart, everything is possible."

The little monk nodded understandingly, a simple and honest smile appearing on his face.

He scratched his head, seemed to think of something, and said leisurely: "I don't know how the others are searching; anyway, I miss the rice of Jiyuan Temple a little."

The older monk was immediately left between laughter and tears by the little monk's words, but his eyes were full of doting.

He gently raised his hand, touched the little monk's head, and said: "You little glutton, thinking about food while practicing."

"But this is also fine; people eat five grains, so naturally there will be cravings. When our practice here comes to an end, we will return to the temple, and I will definitely let you eat your fill."

The little monk nodded vigorously, his eyes full of anticipation.

"Then Master, can we really find the Buddha Child this time? What will he look like?" Soon, the little monk seemed to think of something and couldn't help but ask.

The older monk couldn't help but look at the abyss in front of him, his voice peaceful: "The Buddha Child descends into the world, and he has his own opportunities."

"He may have strange appearances, or he may be ordinary, but there must be Buddha nature in his heart. Whether we can find the Buddha Child depends on this predestined relationship in the dark."

Speaking of this, he paused, his gaze crossing the abyss and looking into the distance.

"The mission of the Buddha Child is to promote the Buddha Dharma and save all living beings. He may be in the midst of suffering at this moment, or he may have already taken the first step on the path of cultivation."

"But no matter where he is or what he encounters, Buddha nature will guide him, and it will also guide us to find him."

"Then Master, how can we be sure that the one we find is the Buddha Child?" The little monk asked, his face full of confusion.

The older monk smiled slightly, reached out and gently patted the little monk's shoulder, and said: "The Buddha Child has his own Buddha affinity. When we meet, we will naturally have a feeling."

The little monk tilted his head and thought, then said: "Master, I understand. Just like how we transform these resentments, as long as we have compassion and follow the Buddha's principles, we will definitely be able to find the Buddha Child, right?"

"Exactly." The older monk nodded in praise, his eyes full of relief.

"My Buddha is compassionate; this transformation of resentment and the search for the Buddha Child are essentially practicing the Buddha Dharma and saving all living beings. As long as we are devoted to the Buddha, Buddha affinity will naturally descend."

After speaking, the older monk put his hands together, closed his eyes again, and peaceful Buddha light radiated from his body, starting a new round of transformation.

"I hope the deductions of the several Bodhisattvas are correct, so that we can successfully find the Buddha Child." The older monk prayed silently in his heart.

PS: It's the middle of the month, asking for a monthly ticket; Sanxing is working hard to update.

(End of chapter)