Chapter 35: Return

Is Tang Luo injured?

Of course he is injured, and seriously so.

But this injury has nothing to do with Jack the Ripper.

The weakness and helplessness just now were all feigned.

Jack the Ripper and the Resurrector, a corporeal fallen entity in this world, are different.

It is merely a gathering of resentment.

It has no physical existence.

If one insists on saying it exists, in its initial weakest state, it relied on that rust-stained dagger as a "vessel."

As its strength increased, Jack the Ripper possessing others still retained the dagger's characteristics.

But it no longer needs that dagger.

Speaking of which, if Tang Luo and the others had found and destroyed that dagger at the beginning.

This mission would have been completed.

You should know that the initial Jack the Ripper was so weak that even Li Liang couldn't kill him.

It merely hollowed out Li Liang's body to strengthen its own power, and only later could it kill Bi Wanhu and others.

Only after draining Li Liang once did Jack the Ripper gain the ability to be "free."

The freedom of the bodiless Jack the Ripper in this world of the dead.

As long as it does not actively truly manifest.

Tang Luo, in fact, cannot find him.

Unless the entire world is utterly destroyed.

But the injured Tang Luo temporarily lacks this ability.

So, he can only fall back on his old trade.

Pretending to engage in a desperate struggle with the monster bred by Jack the Ripper.

Giving Jack the Ripper the illusion that "one more push, and I can win."

As one of the few "living souls" in this world of the dead.

Tang Luo and the others possess a tremendous attraction for Jack the Ripper.

It longs to kill and devour Tang Luo and the others.

This is also why they were "patronized" by Jack the Ripper as soon as they entered.

Living souls exist in this world like fireflies in the night—bright stars, brilliantly shining.

No matter where Tang Luo and the others hide, Jack the Ripper will "sniff out" their scent and find them.

And as a fallen entity, Jack the Ripper possesses no true wisdom.

It acts solely on instinct.

Primitive slaughter, devouring desire, and the primitive fear emotion born upon "seeing" Tang Luo.

This makes Jack the Ripper dare not act rashly.

It merely lurks in shadows and corners, waiting for the right moment to pounce and tear a bite.

Initially, even when possessing others, Jack the Ripper dared not face Tang Luo directly.

The slain "Huoqi" wounded Jack the Ripper.

However, by devouring others, it continuously grew stronger, reached a critical point, and then began large-scale slaughter again.

The other residents of the small town.

To Jack the Ripper, they are likewise "food" that can strengthen it.

But the effect is not as good as that of Tang Luo-led "living souls."

Yet quantitative change can also produce qualitative change.

Now that Jack the Ripper's true form appears, its hollow "eyes" and "mouth," along with the exposed internal organs.

Are all composed of the souls of the town's residents.

Resentful, clumsy, twisted, and immensely powerful.

As the strongest among the "living souls," Tang Luo also makes Jack the Ripper fearful.

The attraction to Jack the Ripper is undoubtedly also the greatest.

It longs desperately to devour him, yet fears bursting itself.

Lacking wisdom, but possessing some "hunting wisdom," as a fallen entity, it still has some of this.

In this regard, Jack the Ripper is far "smarter" than the Resurrector.

It never confronts Tang Luo head-on; even after gaining strength, it only proceeds with gradual probing.

Old John's encounter was Jack the Ripper's probing.

Tonight's Gran Field, where the possessor dared to directly assault Tang Luo, is also a probe.

Also, when Tang Luo dug graves, and later the nurtured entity, excluding the true form itself, the strongest twisted monster.

The result of the probing was that Jack the Ripper's slaughter and devouring emotions overpowered fear.

It wants to devour the living soul before it!

This is not a thought.

It is an emotion.

Once it overpowers, it is like a wildfire on dry grasslands, unstoppable.

Jack the Ripper then has no "reason" left, or rather, no surface appearance of "reason" to speak of.

Even if Tang Luo now appears as "you finally came out to take a beating."

It would not retreat anymore.

"Great..."

Chu Zhongtian forced out a sound, the only part of his body that could move.

He had many doubts, and also many fears.

Tang Luo did not answer Chu Zhongtian.

With so much merit laid out before him, he would certainly take it.

This is fate.

Although it was created by Tang Luo himself, it is also fate.

No one stipulates that "fate" must be passively received; as a person, one must fully exert subjective initiative.

The same applies to becoming a Buddha.

Chu Zhongtian's vision blurred; Tang Luo, who had just been there, had already vanished.

When he reappeared, Tang Luo was already atop the head of the Ripper Jack.

The massive skull beneath his feet still maintained its slightly lowered posture.

The tomb chamber roof he gripped in his hand had not yet loosened.

To speak plainly, it is the true form.

It is the complete gathering of all resentment and power.

Thus it appears extraordinarily massive, and its power is extremely strong.

But compared to possessors, compared to mere possessors, it is one level higher than the twisted monster.

Although the true form's power is great, it is relatively slow and clumsy.

This is largely due to its massive size.

Against the vast majority of prey, such "slowness" of speed is still more than sufficient.

But for Tang Luo, it is too slow.

His right foot was already about to step onto the head of the Ripper Jack.

He actually wanted to crush it outright with one foot!

At this critical moment.

In the hollow eye sockets and mouth of the Ripper Jack's skull, the wailing souls twisted together.

At the three positions, numerous souls transformed into three massive tentacles.

Transforming into three afterimages.

Like a venomous snake's strike, they surged toward Tang Luo's back.

Tang Luo's head turned slightly, his gaze sweeping.

He seemed to confirm the position of the tentacles.

Without any intention to dodge, his downward stepping motion unchanged, his body turned slightly, and his right hand followed with a horizontal sweep backward!

Three tentacles, as thick as pillars, formed from twisted souls.

At the moment of contact with Tang Luo's arm, they directly exploded!

At the same time, Tang Luo's right foot stepped onto the head of the Ripper Jack.

Chu Zhongtian saw visible ripples spreading from the point of contact.

Then came the howling gale.

The previously rigid and immobile body could now move again.

His legs went weak, and Chu Zhongtian collapsed onto the ground.

He supported himself with his hands behind him, preventing himself from falling over.

He saw the massive body of the Ripper Jack.

From the top of its head, numerous black fissures appeared at great speed.

Then, as if a true avalanche.

From top to bottom, it rapidly shattered.

However, an avalanche would form a wave of snowflakes, swallowing everything on the road.

After the Ripper Jack shattered, nothing remained.

Only dissolution into nothingness remained.

Oh, and the roof that the Ripper Jack had originally grabbed in its hand, which it hadn't had time to release, still fairly intact, fell to the ground with a dull thud.

"This is probably what is called salvation."

Chu Zhongtian also did not know why he suddenly had this thought.

"Dead?"

Zhou Zhen'guo's voice came from the other side.

With a hint of disbelief.

Too fast.

Everything happened too fast.

Tang Luo appeared in a severely injured and weak state, telling them this was the world of the dead, even though the iron door that could not be opened by any means.

Seeing the coffin engraved with their names.

Before they could even figure out what was going on, the huge monster had already grabbed the roof.

At that moment, Zhou Zhen'guo had already completely despaired.

Then, a turn of fate.

Zhou Zhen'guo's desperate emotion had no time to spread out.

That huge Jack the Ripper was killed by Master Xuanzang.

It was not the imagined life-and-death battle, nor was it a back-and-forth fight.

It was a crushing, an instant kill.

Wasn't he just very weak a moment ago?

Didn't you say monks don't tell lies?

"He's dead."

Chu Zhongtian said, "Should it all be over now?"

"Probably."

Zhou Zhen'guo said, "By the way, this tomb chamber..."

He looked at the characters on the "stone wall."

Zhou Zhen'guo, Chu Zhongtian, Li Liang, Bi Wanhuí, Cheng Jing (Cheng Cheng), Zhou Yuzé (Little Zhou), and...

"Huh?"

The place where Master Xuanzang's real name should have appeared.

The carved characters were missing a piece.

Probably caused when some debris flew over just now.

The small piece that was knocked out fell to the ground and had already become fragments.

Unable to fully recognize the complete name, birth time.

Only the character "Tang" could be seen.

"Tang... Xuanzang?"

Zhou Zhen'guo froze in place.

Tang Seng, Tang Xuanzang, Tang Sanzang, and similar titles.

As a native Huaxia person, he was certainly very familiar with them.

Although Zhou Zhen'guo knew Xuanzang was a dharma name, and Sanzang actually refers to the general term for Buddhist scriptures.

Monks who understand the Sanzang are honored as "Sanzang Fashi."

And Tang refers to the "Tang" of the Eastern Land Great Tang.

Strictly speaking, the so-called Tang Seng, Tang Xuanzang, Tang Sanzang are a kind of "self-introduction."

A monk from the Eastern Land Great Tang.

A monk from the Eastern Land Great Tang, with the dharma name Xuanzang.

A monk from the Eastern Land Great Tang, who understands the "Sanzang."

This Master Xuanzang should merely happen to bear the surname Tang, hence this strange coincidence.

Speaking of which, is it not because he surnames Tang that he calls himself "Master Xuanzang"?

This monk sure knows how to play.

Tang Xuanzang, this alias is still quite interesting.

"What Tang Xuanzang?" Chu Zhongtian asked.

"Nothing." Zhou Zhen'guo said.

There's no need to deliberately bring this up.

As they spoke, a shadow flickered at the door—Tang Luò had already returned.

Pinching the flower and smiling, he showed no sign of injury at all.

Slaying the evil fallen thing, Jack the Ripper, he gained merit power, used for healing wounds.

Tang Luò, without affecting his injury, could now exert his maximum strength, rising from 6% to 8%.

Tang Luò naturally would "pinch the flower and smile."

Actually, the recovery of his injury is not unchanging.

At first, consumption is not too great, but as he gradually recovers, the merit power needed for consumption will greatly increase.

And after recovery reaches a certain extent, it will begin to decrease again.

Somewhat like a relatively smooth parabola.

"Master..."

Zhou Zhen'guo and Chu Zhongtian both stepped forward.

"Open the stone coffin, return."

Tang Luò said.