Chapter 264: Blood Rain

The people from the five major tribes who came to participate in the duel had all turned into desiccated corpses.

Some of them were helped by the substitute wooden puppets, while others were injured in the recent battle and could not hold on.

They died directly within the great formation.

The four remaining tribal leaders on the high platform also died amid shouts like "You dare kill me?" and "Someone will avenge me!"—they remained defiant to the very end.

There was no one begging for mercy.

However, at the moment the four tribal leaders were killed, several of the substitute wooden puppets also reached their limit.

With a creaking sound, they shattered into fragments, and then a flash of firelight passed, turning them to ash.

This was unavoidable.

Liuli Flame possesses the characteristic of burning fire, but it is not pure flame.

Its combustion does not require air as an oxidizer and can be ignited anywhere—as long as Tang Luo is not so weak that he cannot even ignite the Liuli Flame.

Aside from its fire property, another feature of Liuli Flame is enhancement.

Or rather, it turns an object into brilliant fireworks.

It makes things appear "dazzlingly radiant" before complete destruction, applying equally to people and objects, without distinction—"all beings equal."

When Tang Luo uses this divine ability to ignite Liuli Flame on something, he cannot reverse the final outcome of destruction.

From this perspective, it can be considered a "demonic flame."

Of course, being unable to reverse the outcome does not mean that being burned by Liuli Flame inevitably leads to death, with no exceptions.

For example, if one were to burn the Tathagata with this Liuli Flame, it would certainly not kill him, and Tang Luo can also extinguish the flame himself.

But so far, Tang Luo has not encountered any being that, when burned and enhanced by Liuli Flame, does not "die."

At least, the substitute wooden puppets cannot.

Even if Tang Luo repeatedly reduces the burning intensity to prolong time, but under external pressure, they still shatter instantly upon reaching their limit.

Moreover, killing the tribal leaders requires far greater output power than killing the great priests or tribal warriors.

The totemic power on their bodies still exerts a protective effect.

The force that erupts at that moment, capable of shattering totemic power, also exceeds the upper limit the substitute wooden puppets can withstand.

Tang Luo roughly measured the lowest intensity of Liuli Flame; these substitute wooden puppets have thus fulfilled their intended function.

He turned around and bestowed the opening of light upon Wu Yang, who could no longer support himself and whose vitality was beginning to fade.

The warm radiance transformed into a protective aura, bestowed upon Wu Yang—this time not a healing-type opening of light, but a defensive one.

It is equivalent to giving a drowning person an oxygen tank and a respirator.

With the opening of light protection, Wu Yang instantly felt he could continue "breathing"; she uneasily moved her body and looked around.

Sensing the changes on the high platform, Yin Youqing's face grew increasingly grim.

The opponent's effortless ease meant they could escape alive!

As this Xuanzang monk displayed such formidable strength, in Yin Youqing's heart, he became immensely important.

He had become the finest offering to present to the Great Witch Venerable.

How could such an offering possibly escape?

Whether or not the Great Witch Venerable would be angry is irrelevant; the emergence of a strong one should not be accompanied by the blood of another who ought to be "visible to the eye."

But Yin Youqing could not detain Tang Luo.

If the Great Witch's strength is 100, and Yin Youqing's is 1, then in her heart, that monk's strength is 10, or even higher.

Even if Yin Youqing used the "Union-Body" technique, she could at most go from 1 to 5—she could not stop the white-haired monk who is a 10.

One can deceive others, but not oneself.

No, or perhaps Yin Youqing did not even deceive others.

Did his words "A spent crossbow can still kill" truly make everyone believe Tang Luo could be killed?

No, there were indeed people who believed Yin Youqing, but for the tribal leaders and some others, it was more about giving them confidence and morale.

This battle must be fought, and they must have the morale to win.

Even if they feel Tang Luo is too strong to match, what can they do? They cannot just kneel and beg for mercy, can they?

Not to mention the due confidence and pride—choosing to kneel and beg for mercy is truly to let others slaughter them like fish, offering no resistance, a path to death.

"Or, can I use these people to threaten?"

Yin Youqing thought of a method.

Now, everyone on the martial arts field is already dead; the surrounding Fusang tribe elite soldiers have suffered over half casualties, their condensed totemic power greatly diminished, yet they still struggle to resist.

But they will not hold out longer than the time it takes to burn one incense stick.

These people do not all need to die; even if another half die, the power gathered should be enough to tear a hole in the great sealing formation.

Before that, Yin Youqing can control the formation he set up, concentrating the sealed power.

Not concentrated on that monk—Yin Youqing dares not guarantee that concentrating the sealing power on him would restrict his movements.

To put it bluntly, Yin Youqing's formation merely draws on part of the power of the great sealing formation.

But the other two are different.

"Pa!"

The golden vajra statue originally standing on the ground directly prostrated itself fivefold, its head buried in the earth.

Fortunately, all the blood was completely absorbed dry, not a single drop left; otherwise, the vajra would now have to endure the double baptism of bloody and earthy odors.

Standing, Tang Yuhan also half-kneeled on the ground, merely appearing less embarrassed than the vajra.

"Master, I know you are strong, but do you have confidence in saving your companions?" Yin Youqing looked at Tang Luo and asked.

"Yes." Tang Luo said, performing the opening of light.

Just like the opening of light for Wu Yang, it is likewise of the protective type, sufficient to dispel the formation's binding power, allowing the two to move freely.

Opening the light to save people, Master Xuanzang is very skilled at it.

Vajra jumped up from the ground suddenly, without a word, and rushed toward Yin Youqing.

"You..."

What Yin Youqing wanted to say can no longer be known, because Vajra's fist slammed hard into Yin Youqing's face.

As mentioned before, to kill a wooden dummy substitute for Tang Luo, the Yin brothers paid a huge price, consumed greatly, and could barely stand.

Later, being beheaded by Tang Yuhan with one knife, they offered no resistance.

Now it's the same; facing Vajra's fist, Yin Youqing can only try to turn his face sideways as much as possible.

To avoid letting his nose make intimate, zero-distance contact with Vajra's fist.

At least turning the face can reduce some damage... maybe?

At the moment his sunken cheek caved in, Yin Youqing felt as if he had already died.

The world before his eyes was drifting away from him, his body flew up, then hovered in midair in a state of "stillness."

Tang Yuhan reached out and grabbed Yin Youqing's neck, white blade flashing in and out, leaving several chilling wounds on Yin Youqing's body.

"Pfft."

A large amount of blood gushed from Yin Youqing's mouth, dripping onto the ground, vanishing without a trace, likewise absorbed by the formation.

The light in his eyes rapidly faded, Yin Youqing was extremely unwilling.

His unwillingness was not about his own death, but dying too early, unable to see the rise of the Great Witch.

"Master, the mission is complete!"

As Yin Youqing died, Vajra said.

Just now, their second mission "Weaken the Five Great Tribes of the Northern Plains" had already been prompted as completed, though there was still no information allowing immediate return.

The five chieftains of the Northern Plains Five Great Tribes, five shamans, all died.

Most of the elite soldiers of the Fusang Tribe were killed or wounded, and even the greatest priest under the shamans and the bravest tribal warriors all perished.

The upper and top echelons of power were directly wiped out completely, leaving only Wuyang this fifth columnist.

Oh, perhaps there are still a few responsible for guarding the tribe's main camp.

Such damage has already met the mission's requirements.

"Then you may leave first," Tang Luo said, "go a bit farther from here."

"Good!" Vajra nodded.

"You too," Tang Luo turned his head and said. This "you all" includes the "I'll just watch, I do nothing" salted fish Xiaotian Dog.

Xiaotian Dog actually can't do much either, the sealing power remains.

Yin Youqing's death only caused the sealing power to disperse slightly again, but it can still restrain the current Xiaotian Dog.

Xiaotian Dog's strength is roughly equal to Tang Yuhan, Kongming, and them, in the same tier.

If they really fought, it's hard to say, but if Xiaotian Dog can sneak in a bite, Kongming and them will surely die.

If they clash head-on, the odds of winning drop greatly, at best fifty-fifty; overall, it's still a weak dog.

Otherwise, Tang Luo wouldn't have thought of giving Xiaotian Dog a new body.

Likewise enlightened, Xiaotian Dog regained mobility, humming and hawing as it looked at Wuyang.

Wuyang also understood, picked up Xiaotian Dog, and left without a word—this fox spirit should be used to monitor her.

As for me, to this monk, I should still be useful.

Tang Yuhan and the others had just left; the originally quiet martial training ground suddenly trembled, the earth slightly shaking.

The surrounding red light quickly dissipated, the elite soldiers of the Fusang Tribe all collapsed at this moment.

A chilling aura spread from underground.

"God... died."

"Demon... destroyed."

A magnificent, echoing voice rang out, layered upon layered, like heavenly sound.

"Why, am I still alive?"

"Huh?" Tang Luo lowered his raised hand again, how does this sound feel somewhat familiar?

"Since all the Buddhas of the heavens have vanished like smoke and clouds..."

Every person of the Fusang Tribe felt that, as the invisible giant hand shrouded the sky, it also seized their hearts.

The terrifying aura spread, dazing, as if seeing a black wave that blots out the sky and sun surging forward, besides watching themselves be devoured with wide eyes, there was nothing else they could do.

"Forget it, not important." Tang Luo shook his head, the platform under his feet shattered with a boom, he leapt into the high sky.

His right hand five fingers spread, pointing downward, empty palm!

A palm technique descending from the heavens.

The entire Fusang Tribe, at this instant, trembled once, or rather, merged into countless infinitesimal parts.

Large amounts of buildings swayed east and west, various furnishings, ornaments, pots, pans, bowls, and ladles crashed to the ground with clangs, cracks appeared on the ground, spreading in all directions.

The towering outer rock walls cracked and collapsed toward all sides, like a blooming flower.

Fortunately, the tremor lasted only a moment, causing no serious casualties.

"I—"

At the moment Tang Luo struck with his palm, the heavenly sound-like magnificent voice ceased abruptly.

The entire martial training field vanished without trace, replaced by a huge black palm print, so deep that its bottom cannot be seen at a glance, only a patch of pitch-black "abyss" visible.

Shortly after, a crimson fountain gushed from the black abyss, shooting straight into the high sky.

The entire Fusang Tribe, a blood rain began to fall.