Chapter 396: Sarira, Heavenly Demon Hand, As if Heavenly Bestowed, Sword Slays the Flood Dragon

【"Heaven has the virtue of loving life, but you in Ze Lake do not know how many innocent people you have harmed."】

【"Jiannan Dao has long been filled with grievances, the people unable to live." Master Master Lianchi pressed his palms together, his originally compassionate face changing into the appearance of a Vajra glaring in anger.】

【The First Master stared at Long Yi's face covered in scales and the two horns on his head, coldly saying: "If it weren't for the 'Master' backing you, Ze Lake would have long since ceased to exist in the world."】

【After hearing this, Long Yi's face changed suddenly, cold sweat seeping from his temples.】

【Standing before him were the First Master, the Demon Master, and Master Master Lianchi, three Great Grandmasters; even in a one-on-one fight, he would only have a chance to flee for his life. Now that the three were here, he didn't even have a chance to flee.】

【Even if these three were severely injured now, if they joined forces, he feared he would have no path to survival.】

【The instinct for survival made him cast his gaze toward Lu Chen, this Heavenly Master of the Lu family who had come with him, his eyes carrying a hint of hope.】

【Lu Chen saw this and hurriedly raised her hands to wave them, her tone indifferent: "Long Yi, don't look at me; I won't make a move anyway. Between us, benevolence and righteousness have been exhausted."】

【Just at this moment!】

【Master Master Lianchi suddenly looked toward a direction by the river, his brows furrowed slightly.】

【A faint aura was slowly emerging, quietly walking out from the shadows.】

【The Demon Master also sensed something unusual, his brows locked.】

【He had not sensed this person's existence just now, and could not help but feel a trace of vigilance in his heart.】

【In the shadows of the riverbank, a figure walked out slowly, as if merging with the night.】

【This person was hidden in the dark night, slowly revealing his appearance.】

【Lu Chen's eyes slowly widened, "Mr. Hong!"】

【The person who came was Xie Hong, but he was completely different from his usual appearance, as if he had become much younger, his brows lacking a bit of the vicissitudes and loneliness, and having a bit more sharpness.】

【He walked with composure, slowly walking to stand behind Long Yi, his gaze looking calmly at the four people opposite.】

【The First Master's eyes narrowed slightly, sizing him up, his tone carrying a hint of realization: "This is your external body?"】

【Xie Hong nodded slightly, bowing respectfully to the First Master, his tone humble: "Xie Hong has met the First Master."】

【The First Master sighed lightly, his gaze carrying a hint of emotion: "The two walls of the Xie family; the world says that the eldest of the Xie family is peerless in martial arts, a rare talent for a general, a world-renowned general."】

【He paused, "But we fellow disciples know that when the father and brother were away serving in the military, Xie Uncle Chongshan, who managed the household affairs and cared for the elderly mother, reading and writing in his spare time, was the true jade tree of the Xie family."】

【"The Second has always wanted to accept disciples on behalf of the Master, making you the world-renowned Fifth Master; why did you refuse back then?"】

【Xie Hong pondered for a moment, speaking slowly: "Yu'an always wanted to share good things with me, but people on the chessboard often cannot see the overall situation. Although the Master is a saint, he does not know that a saint's anger is even more terrifying than an emperor's anger."】

【"An emperor's anger covers the land with a million corpses, but a saint's anger poisons for a thousand years."】

【The First Master heard this, his tone carrying doubt: "You have never seen the Master; why would you say this?"】

【If it weren't for the Master deliberately leaking some shocking secrets for the sake of corpse-shedding back then, they, the disciples, would not have suspected that this figure, honored by Confucianism as the Supreme Teacher, had such an unknown side.】

【Xie Hong smiled slightly, "Some things do not need to be seen with one's own eyes; one only needs to look at words and deeds to see the whole picture. Perhaps the Master at the beginning truly wanted to shoulder the righteousness of the world, but unfortunately... not everything can go as one wishes, and how many people do not forget their original intention, able to overcome the firmament with a mere heart."】

【The First Master was silent for a moment, speaking again: "So you knew long ago? About the Master being beheaded by the four of us."】

【Xie Hong's expression was calm, "Yu'an did not hide it from me."】

【"I had forgotten, you and the Second were close friends and confidants."】

【The Demon Master's eyes were filled with blood-red coldness, staring at the First Master, then his gaze shifted to Xie Hong, the light in his eyes gradually diminishing. He pondered to himself, "Demonic Eye Ghost Pupil" is a demonic Qi-probing technique that can spy on the aura of all things, but this external body of Xie Hong was like a Yang Spirit, yet different, seemingly another type of Primordial Spirit beyond the Yang Spirit and Yin Spirit. His main body was not here, yet this external body could think independently, clearly extraordinary.】

【This Xie Hong was truly not simple.】

【The First Master looked at Xie Hong standing behind Long Yi, "It seems you want to protect this Ze Lake demon?"】

【His voice was low, his eyes cold, "Do you also want to learn from the Master and ride a dragon to ascend?"】

【Xie Hong heard this and shook his head, "Riding a dragon to ascend is nothing but the world's imagination. I came today just because I do not wish to see the Ze Lake lineage cut off here. Moreover, the karma involved behind him is far from as simple as it appears on the surface."】

【Master Master Lianchi pressed his palms together, his face solemn, his voice echoing like a bell: "Amitabha, refining demons with human lives is inherently the path of the Asura."】

【"When the Master was still alive, it was inconvenient for this old monk to destroy Ze Lake. Now that the Master has passed, the first thing this old monk does after leaving Above Bianjing is to invite like-minded friends to go to Ze Lake together to slay demons."】

【His tone carried unquestionable determination: "Meeting this evil dragon today, how can there be any reason to let it escape?"】

【Before the words had faded, a phantom of a Luohan appeared behind Master Master Lianchi, supporting the sky with both hands.】

【Xie Hong heard this, his brows furrowed slightly.】

【Long Yi quietly retreated to Xie Hong's side, the scales on his face under the black hood rising and falling due to the aura emitted by the old monk, appearing extremely uneasy.】

【The Demon Master laughed lightly, "Today, I have an affinity with the Master..."】

【Before he could finish, Xie Hong already understood Xu Xu Jiangxian's thoughts.】

【Xie Hong spoke slowly: "Master Master Lianchi, I have the sarira of the Holy Monk Longshu from back then; today I will return it to the Eastern Saint Sect to show my sincerity."】

【As he spoke, his palm turned over, and a sarira as red as blood appeared, emitting a clean Zen intent, as if containing endless Buddhist wisdom and compassion.】

【A Buddhist sarira is an extremely sacred symbol in Buddhism, said to be the crystallization left behind after the cremation of high monks and great virtuous ones. They are either round like pearls or transparent like crystal, varied in shape and color, each carrying the cultivation and merit of a high monk's life.】

【Sarira have incredible power, capable of protecting all living beings, driving away evil and avoiding disasters, and blessing Buddhist cultivation techniques.】

【Master Master Lianchi saw this sarira, a flash of shock in his eyes, "The sarira of Holy Monk Longshu... you actually have this item."】

【Xie Hong's gaze turned to the Demon Master, his tone calm, "I remember the Demon Master has a piece of left hand bone, the 'Heavenly Demon Hand'; Xie Hong coincidentally obtained a piece of the right hand."】

【As he spoke, his palm turned over, and a right hand bone, white as jade and glowing, appeared, looking not like a demonic treasure, but rather revealing a holy aura.】

【The Demon Master's eyes suddenly narrowed, "The sacred treasure of the Holy Sect, how could it appear in your hands?"】

【The Heavenly Demon Hand, the sacred object of the Demonic Sect, is divided into left and right hand bones, complementing each other. The left hand bone is engraved with the "Heavenly Demon Strategy," a heritage object of the Demonic Sect, while the right hand bone contains a "Blood River," said to be refined from the blood essence of righteous experts after the Demonic Sect founder achieved great success in demonic arts, providing a continuous supply of essence.】

【However, this right hand bone was stolen hundreds of years ago, and the Demonic Sect was furious, yet never found its trace.】

【Now that it appeared in Xie Hong's hands, how could the Demon Master not be shocked?】

【Xie Hong smiled slightly, his tone indifferent: "I am willing to use this as a gift; I ask the Demon Master to raise your hand."】

【Xu Xu Jiangxian's face sank, a flash of coldness in his eyes: "Xie Hong, do you think this Heavenly Demon Hand of the Holy Sect can move me?"】

【"This hand bone originally belongs to the Demonic Sect; you stole the supreme sacred object of the Demonic Sect, and your crime deserves death!"】

【The Demon Master's tone was sinister, demonic Qi rolling around his body, the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Technique repairing his body.】

【Facing the majestic pressure of two Great Grandmasters, Xie Hong remained calm and composed.】

【In an instant, his aura climbed sharply, the peak of the Ninth Realm of Martial Arts and the Yang Spirit power of the Tenth Realm of Primordial Spirit merged, an aura not belonging to the three Great Grandmasters before him erupting violently.】

【What was even more strange was that this aura was vast and boundless, cleverly merging the profoundness of Daoism, the compassion of Buddhism, and the righteousness of Confucianism, the essence of the three families complementing each other, fully displaying his extraordinary realm.】

【The First Master saw this and sighed softly, his tone carrying a hint of admiration: "Merging the roots of the three teachings, truly as the Third praised, a great talent with hope of becoming a master and ancestor, opening another lineage beyond Confucianism."】

【The Demon Master slowly withdrew his aura, a smile appearing on his face, "This time, I thank Mr. Hong for returning the sacred treasure of the Demonic Sect; I will keep it in mind."】

【Lu Chen saw this and cursed the Demon Master for being shameless in her heart; he was clearly aggressive just a moment ago, yet changed his face in the blink of an eye.】

【However, she was not surprised that Xie Hong had already stepped into the realm of a Great Grandmaster of the world.】

【When she was at the Xie residence, she had already faintly sensed Xie Hong's extraordinariness.】

【Even a figure like the Demon Master was unwilling to be an enemy of a Great Grandmaster who had condensed his life-bound, let alone a Great Grandmaster who had merged the learning of the three teachings of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism, and whose "life-bound" was unknown.】

【In the field, Master Master Lianchi still had cold brows and glaring eyes, his tone carrying a hint of solemnity: "Although this sarira is important, it is not as important as this old monk's Buddha heart."】

【The Demon Master stood with his hands behind his back, his expression calm, clearly no longer intending to intervene in this matter.】

【Xie Hong nodded slightly to the Demon Master, then his gaze turned to the First Master.】

【Lu Chen coughed lightly at the right time, breaking the surrounding silence. There had long been a tacit understanding between the Sanzhen Sect and Xie Hong; otherwise, she would not have stepped into this Above Bianjing land with Xie Hong.】

【The First Master had already entered the Sanzhen Sect, and the joints were already clear in his heart.】

【The First Master looked at the two treasures Xie Hong sent, a flash of realization in his eyes: "It seems today's Flower Banquet also has your hand in it."】

【Xie Hong bowed, "I ask the First Master to open the net."】

【The First Master spoke indifferently: "Since you could persuade the Second to make a move to slash open the Jingshen Array and escape the cage, I will not intervene in today's matter."】

【Long Yi saw this, the corners of his mouth curling into a smile, revealing the fine sharp teeth inside, clearly secretly happy in his heart. The First Master had already agreed, and the Demon Master and Lu Chen also chose to stand by; with only Master Master Lianchi left, he naturally had a chance of survival.】

【"Xie Hong thanks the First Master."】

【"Long Yi, why don't you thank the First Master yet."】

【Long Yi bowed hurriedly, the arc of his mouth becoming more pronounced.】

【The First Master smiled, his tone carrying a hint of profound meaning: "Don't be in such a hurry to thank me. Although I am no longer managing this matter, and the Demon Master and Lu Chen have chosen to stand by, there is still one person in the field who has not spoken."】

【There is still one person in the field?】

【Long Yi heard this and naturally knew who was being referred to.】

【Today's situation was caused by him; otherwise, he would have fled far away long ago. He already hated this person to the bone in his heart, wishing he could swallow him alive, but his cultivation was shallow, and in such an occasion, what qualification did he have to speak?】

【The Demon Master laughed, "Young Friend Xie, indeed, has not spoken yet."】

【Lu Chen looked in the direction of the sound; Xie Guan was bowing his head outside the four people, his eyes lowered, and he had been in this state since the Second Master dissipated.】

【Xie Hong's eyes were complex, his gaze landing on the youth in the field. He had long known that Xie Guan had obtained the Second Master's mantle, but at this moment, Xie Guan made him feel a trace of elusive aura.】

【You were not surprised by Xie Hong's arrival, but ever since the Second Master bestowed the Nine Swords, for some reason, a strange feeling like "Observing the Dao" had arisen in your heart.】

【This feeling was unprecedented, as if the mysteries between heaven and earth were unfolding before your eyes one by one.】

【You naturally were unwilling to give up such an opportunity!】

【In this short half-stick of incense time, many unresolved points were solved as if "Heaven-bestowed." You had quietly learned seven of the swords, and only needed the last two to thoroughly comprehend the true meaning of the Second Master's Nine Swords.】

【Just at the last moment, you finally comprehended the first seven of the Nine Swords, with only the last two remaining to be studied and comprehended.】

【That profound feeling also disappeared along with it, as if it had never appeared.】

【The seven sword intents in the Mud-Ball Palace were turning into swimming dragons, setting off stormy waves in Xie Guan's sea of consciousness—this was the sword Dao truth that should have taken twenty years of bitter cultivation to comprehend, yet at this moment, it poured into the spiritual platform like spring snow turning into a stream.】

【You opened your eyes, the sword light in them flashing and then disappearing, immediately returning to calm. You bowed to Xie Hong, your tone respectful but neither humble nor arrogant: "Met Uncle Uncle Chongshan."】

【Xie Hong nodded lightly, looking at you.】

【Master Master Lianchi also cast a concerned gaze.】

【Lu Chen was interested, looking forward to what decision you would make.】

【Long Yi's eyes hid killing intent like waves; although he did not speak, that cold gaze already revealed the unwillingness and resentment in his heart.】

【Facing this matter... you decide!】

1. Agree to this matter. (Hint: May be unfavorable for the future.)

2. Disagree with this matter. (Hint: May be unfavorable for the future.)

3. Personally sword-slay the flood dragon. (Hint: Favorable for the future.)

4. Personally participate. (1/3)

The Great Cauldron rang, exhaling ten thousand rays of rosy light, the characters on it slowly freezing.】

Lu Chen looked at the three options above.】

He did not hesitate much, having made his decision.】

This Long Yi had long harbored killing intent and had committed many evils.】

Directly choose.】

3. Personally sword-slay the flood dragon. (Hint: Favorable for the future.)】

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 397 =====