Chapter 388

"Senior Brother, how long do you think they can last in front of the Teacher?"

Su Jing stood leaning against the window, his gaze piercing through the night toward a direction in Zhishui.

"The Vajra of the Buddha Sect, the giant of the Demon Path, the Heavenly Master of the Dao Sect, plus the Spring and Autumn Haoran Righteous Qi of the Eldest Senior Brother... with such a lineup, how much trouble can they cause the Teacher?"

On the fourth floor of the Invitation Immortal Tower, the lingering fragrance of the Flower Banquet had not yet dissipated.

The Third Scholar stood with his hands behind his back by the window, his gaze fixed on the flickering sky in the distance.

There, the aura churned like a tide, yet a towering aura suppressed the four directions like a monarch in the mountains.

Ordinary people only felt heart palpitations, not knowing what was happening.

Like looking at flowers in the mist!

"The four of us are considered the people who understand the Teacher best in the world."

The Third Scholar frowned and said: "If it weren't for the fact that the Teacher was in the period of corpse-dissection back then, his strength greatly reduced, and the Second Senior Brother had the Nine Swords... and we had been preparing in secret for several years."

Speaking of this!

The Third Scholar just thought of that memory, the wariness in his eyes growing heavier, "Even so, we almost all died."

Su Jing nodded silently.

If one were to speak of the person he feared most in this world, the Master would be at the top of the list.

That unfathomable feeling had run through everything from his youth to the present.

Su Jing also nodded and said, "The four of them..."

"Are probably not even qualified to make the Teacher take them seriously."

"However, I do have a different opinion today."

The Third Scholar turned his head to look, his tone fluctuating, "Wuxin, do you think the four of them can hurt the Teacher?"

Su Jing shook his head.

"Impossible."

"The Teacher today has just undergone corpse-dissection, and each corpse-dissection will cause his cultivation to soar again."

"Moreover, the Teacher has been plotting for a long time and has long since made perfect preparations."

The Third Scholar asked suspiciously: "Then where is the difference?"

Su Jing pointed to the sky: "Man proposes, Heaven disposes. Today's situation might be in the Teacher's calculations, but the reincarnation of the Heavenly Dao... is outside of it."

"How could Heaven and Earth tolerate such a glutton?"

Su Jing tapped the window lattice with his fingertips, the old man's face he had been hiding revealing his young appearance once more, extremely handsome.

His voice also changed to the clear, handsome tone of a youth.

"Only absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, yet feeding corpse qi back to the human world, creating countless demons... running rampant in the world."

He looked toward the churning aura in the distance: "If this world truly has a hidden Heavenly Will, it will certainly not miss today's opportunity."

The Third Scholar's eyes moved: "You mean..."

"It seems the Teacher has calculated all the secrets of heaven," Su Jing's smile deepened, "but he does not know that the net of heaven is vast and has long since laid out a trap."

The Third Scholar pondered for a moment: "You are so certain that the Eldest Senior Brother and the others still have a backup plan?"

Su Jing shook his head: "The Eldest Senior Brother's actions have never asked about success or failure. The four of them are indeed too weak in front of the Teacher; even if we were together, I'm afraid it would be difficult to escape with our lives!"

He looked toward the horizon, "The Eldest Senior Brother has always been like this, knowing it cannot be done yet doing it."

"Perhaps it is precisely because he entrusts his feelings to the mountains and rivers, and interacts with heaven and earth."

A black and white chess piece that kept changing slipped from Su Jing's sleeve, held gently by two fingers,

"Perhaps precisely because of this... this world is using his hands to carry out the responsibilities of the Heavenly Dao."

The Third Scholar's gaze fell on the black and white chess piece held tightly in Su Jing's hand.

This was no ordinary object, but Su Jing's treasure for cultivating his primordial spirit, closely connected to his destiny.

Since Su Jing stepped into the Ninth Realm of martial arts and his primordial spirit fused with his Yang Spirit, his life-bound was—"Heavenly Inquiry."

It implies seeking answers from Heaven; black is negative, white is positive, one inquiry and one answer, simple and clear, capable of peeking into the secrets of heaven, but the price is extremely heavy.

Even with Su Jing's cultivation, he could only use it three times.

When they joined forces to kill the Master back then, they had witnessed Su Jing perform "Heavenly Inquiry" once.

At that time, the chess piece was white, its light brilliant.

The Third Scholar couldn't help but feel suspicious and asked: "Have you used 'Heavenly Inquiry' today?"

Su Jing shook his head, the chess piece flowing in his palm: "There is one last time left, it hasn't reached the critical moment."

Hearing this, the Third Scholar frowned slightly.

When they joined forces to kill the Master, one time was used, so there should be two opportunities left.

Why is there only one left now?

When, and for what, did Su Jing use that precious "Heavenly Inquiry"?

Su Jing played with the chess piece in his palm, his smile deepening: "If Senior Brother wants to know the answer to that 'Heavenly Inquiry'..."

"It's not impossible; Su Jing is also curious, what is your life-bound, Senior Brother?"

"Just like I have never known what the Teacher's life-bound is?"

Su Jing's eyes were earnest; when Su Jing first met this Senior Brother, the Third Scholar was already a supreme figure at the Ninth Realm of martial arts, his Yang Spirit perfected, his life-bound formed, yet he had never revealed it in front of others.

A life-bound is born based on the individual's cultivated technique and inner spiritual pursuit, and each is different.

The Eldest Scholar's "Free Wandering" was born from traveling the mountains and rivers.

The Second Scholar traversed his whole life, his life-bound "Slaying Immortals" capable of slaying everything.

So many years had passed, yet the Third Scholar's life-bound had never been mentioned.

Always a mystery!

The Third Scholar did not answer.

The fourth floor fell into silence, the Flower Banquet was nearing its end, with only Su Su Shishi yet to take the stage.

The Third Scholar asked: "Why let Xie Hong go?"

Just now Xie Hong pleaded guilty, yet Su Jing did not punish him, which was completely different from his usual style.

Su Jing played with the chess piece in his palm: "Senior Brother, you underestimate Xie Hong too much."

"In today's situation, how much effort did he put into it?"

"Compared to Xie Ling..." A flash of deep meaning crossed Su Jing's eyes, "The most terrifying one in the Xie family is him."

"Among the next generation of the Nine Great Surnames, only Xie Hong has truly stepped onto the stage."

The number of people Su Jing could describe with the word "terrifying" could be counted on one hand.

"Xie Hong is still young, but his cultivation speed is already not inferior to the Second Senior Brother of the past."

Su Jing looked toward the third floor, "When the Xie family incident happened back then, he was cultivating his heart in Qingliang Temple; I'm afraid he has already condensed his life-bound."

"If I were to punish Xie Hong..." The chess piece at his fingertips suddenly stopped, "I don't know how many pairs of eyes are staring from the third floor; I'm afraid this first man-made disaster of my corpse-dissection would be staged in advance in the Invitation Immortal Tower."

The Third Scholar remembered the faint killing intent in Xie Hong's chest when he went upstairs.

Xie Hong and the Second Scholar were close friends; why did he do this today?

Su Jing had already vaguely guessed the answer in his heart, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the shattered chess piece in his sleeve:

"It is a fortunate thing that the Second Senior Brother could have such a close friend."

He turned his gaze to the Flower Banquet, where the finale, Su Su Shishi, had already gracefully taken the stage.

She stood at the front of the stage, a white dress whiter than snow, her brows and eyes like a painting.

Her green gauze long skirt danced lightly with the wind, as if a goddess from the nine heavens had descended to the mortal world.

Every gesture was surrounded by a cold aura, as if she were out of place in this dusty world, yet she was breathtakingly beautiful.

One dance was stunning, and the people under the stage were already infatuated.

Su Jing stood leaning against the window, watching Su Su Shishi's dance, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

"This world should have been this beautiful."

He lowered his head to look at the chess piece in his palm, his voice growing cold: "Unfortunately... for the sake of ascension, I don't know how many piles of bones have been buried on this road."

～

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By the Zhishui River.

The Master stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the four people opposite him.

The Demon Master had already had his arm torn off, bending over and gasping for breath, his arm revealing eerie flesh and bone, the flesh broken and tendons connected.

The originally refined Xu Xu Jiangxian was covered in blood, only the miserable appearance of blood constantly overflowing from his mouth remaining.

"Cough, cough!"

Xu Xu Jiangxian held the blood he spat out in his hands and swallowed it again.

Lu Hua leaned on the Sanzhen Myriad Dharma Sword, her left leg having been beaten into a bloody hole, and she looked at the Demon Master and asked, "Demon Master, are you alright?"

The Demon Master wiped the blood from his mouth, his voice hoarse, "Not dead yet!"

The look in his eyes toward the Master was full of gloom.

Just now the Master grabbed toward Lu Hua in the air; if he hadn't used the "Heavenly Demon Hand," Lu Hua would have died on the spot.

Unexpectedly!

The holy relic of the Demon Sect, the "Heavenly Demon Hand," was actually crushed into fragments by the Master.

The Heavenly Demon Hand not only could refine "Heavenly Demon Blood" and had the effect of bringing the dead back to life, but mainly it contained the complete record of the supreme technique of the Demon Sect, the "Heavenly Demon Strategy."

Lu Hua turned her head to look at Master Master Lianchi, worried, "Master, are you alright?"

Just now Master Lianchi was pierced through the chest by the Master's finger, his body broken into two halves.

Lu Hua originally thought this high Buddhist monk had already entered nirvana, but she didn't expect him to join his two halves in the dark and strike a "Vajra Subduing Demon Fist" at the Master's chest.

Unfortunately, the Master did not move a muscle.

Master Lianchi's whole body flowed with golden glazed light, "This old monk can still hold on."

Hearing this, the Demon Master smiled: "Master is quite calm; just now I thought you had already gone to the Western Paradise to meditate."

Master Lianchi's life-bound "Zhangliu Golden Body" could regenerate broken limbs and reshape flesh and blood.

It was precisely by relying on this supernatural power that he was able to save his life under the Master's hands.

The old monk grinned, revealing blood-stained teeth: "This old monk's 'Ksitigarbha Vow Sutra' has not yet been finished, and the Buddha says this old monk's cultivation is not full, so he refuses to accept me."

Lu Hua pointed her sword tip at the ground, a fishy sweetness rising in her throat as she struggled to stand, her gaze cast toward the youth with only the upper half of his body in the air—the Great Scholar.

If it weren't for the Great Scholar constantly shifting everyone's position with his life-bound "Free Wandering," they would have long since had their physical bodies crushed by the Master.

The Master smiled slightly; he hadn't even used any technique, relying only on the power of his physical body to make the four of them this miserable.

Nothing is unbreakable except speed, only power can overcome all techniques!

Lu Hua gripped the Sanzhen Myriad Dharma Sword, the sword body actually trembling slightly.

She suddenly understood that this sage who had lived for two thousand years had long since cultivated the "Dao" to the extreme.

The Great Scholar's body below the waist had been severed, the cut smooth—that was the result of the Master's hand-blade.

The Great Scholar sealed his acupoints.

Dong Cheng looked at the Great Scholar's broken body and smiled, "In this state, you won't last long."

"This broken body of yours will last at most another quarter of an hour."

"If you die," his voice was low, "they won't even have a chance to escape."

Xu Li Xian smiled indifferently: "The Teacher is still here, how dare the student die first?"

The Master stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze like water: "Knowing you must die, why bother with futile efforts?"

He turned to the Demon Master: "Demon cultivation values the self and treats all things lightly. You are risking your life like this, is it worth it?"

Xu Xu Jiangxian's blood-stained lips curled into a smile: "The Demon Sect is indeed like this. But Ancestor Huang Dao said, life is fought for."

"If I hadn't come today," a flash of madness crossed his eyes, "I'm afraid I would never have another chance to ascend. I came for myself."

The Master nodded slightly: "The Demon Sect is indeed a group of people who risk their lives."

"I have seen the life-bounds of all of you." The Master's gaze was like a torch, "Only yours, I have yet to witness."

Before his voice fell, the Master had already appeared beside the Demon Master.

A withered hand grabbed out like an eagle's claw.

The Demon Master's pupils shrank, and the demonic qi around his body boiled.

He knew too well the power of this grab—just now, Master Lianchi's golden body was torn to pieces just as lightly!

Master Lianchi's whole body glowed with golden light, the glazed Buddhist light of the "Zhangliu Golden Body" pouring down, enveloping the Demon Master.

Lu Hua bit the tip of her tongue, the Sanzhen Myriad Dharma Sword igniting with life-bound essence and blood, the Sanzhen Myriad Dharma Sword slashing out several zhang of sword qi in the air.

The Great Scholar spat out, a hundred strands of "Spring and Autumn Brush" sword qi sweeping in like a torrential rain.

The Demon Master's figure swayed, "Blood Shadow Escape" activated, transforming into two blood-colored clones.

The Master just flicked his finger lightly, and Lu Hua's sword qi was scattered.

He rolled his sleeves, and the Great Scholar's "Spring and Autumn Brush" was actually taken into his sleeve.

Master Lianchi's Vajra fist seal boomed against his back, but it was like a great bell ringing, Master Lianchi being shaken back several steps instead.

The Master ignored this and looked at the Demon Master.

"Caught you."

The Master's withered hand hooked onto the Demon Master's crown.

At the critical moment.

The moment of death!

Blood light flared in the Demon Master's eyes, his life-bound "Heart Demon Guide" activated!

The Master's figure froze, a look of confusion appearing on his face.

The force in his hand loosened slightly.

The Demon Master took the opportunity to transform into a blood shadow and escape.

"Heart Demon Guide"—can force others to generate a second consciousness within a certain distance, losing their true self.

"Interesting."

The Master's voice followed like a shadow.

The Demon Master's pupils shrank; how could he have broken free from the Heart Demon Guide so quickly?

The Master had already appeared behind him, his withered hand resting on his shoulder: "If it were before the second corpse-dissection, I might have fallen for it. Unfortunately..." his voice was indifferent.

"I have long since cut off the three corpses; the so-called false self and true self are both the true self."

Lu Hua and the other two joined forces to save him.

But the Demon Master felt his cultivation sealed, unable to move.

Fierce light flashed in his eyes, and his body suddenly split into seven or eight pieces, escaping as hands and feet.

"Heavenly Demon Disintegration Great Law?"

The Master's eyebrows lifted slightly, Lu Hua and the others' fist seals and sword qi already before his eyes.

His gaze was like water, as if admiring flowers in a courtyard or watching fish in a lake, every gesture full of leisure.

Yu Ke watched this battle of disparate strength from afar—the four joined forces, yet they weren't even qualified to make the Master take them seriously!

The Master seemed to sense Yu Ke's gaze, looked up at the God-Startling Array in the sky, and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth:

"Alright, it's time to end this."

Before his voice fell, the world suddenly fell silent.

Lu Hua only felt a giant mountain suddenly pressing down on her back, the Myriad Dharma Sword in her hand inserting into the ground with a "clang," the sword body bending like a full moon.

Her knees trembled, but she stubbornly refused to kneel.

Master Lianchi pressed his hands toward the sky, his Zhangliu Golden Body blooming with glazed Buddhist light, yet he was still pressed to one knee.

The blue stone beneath his feet shattered inch by inch, the phantom of a Vajra Arhat appearing within the Buddhist light, yet it was difficult to resist this power of heaven and earth.

The Great Scholar had already been pressed to the ground, unable to rise, the Spring and Autumn Brush sword qi swirling around his body, yet he struggled like a trapped beast.

The Demon Master, transformed into blood mist, froze in mid-air, having only used the "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Great Law" to piece together half a body, as if frozen, leaving only his eyeballs moving.

The Master swept his indifferent gaze over the four.

"This way of dying will not cause you pain."

He stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes looking at Yu Ke.

"I have long since been invincible in this world, you now."

"Do you still have a backup plan?"

The great cauldron in Yu Ke's heart-sea suddenly rang!

The bell sound crossed time and space, sounding as if it were ringing from the ancient past, and also echoing in the future.

Yu Ke smiled lightly, "Invincible in this world, you say?"

(End of chapter)