Chapter 356: Are We Going to Be Ghosts?

"Youngster, you sure know how to play." Ao Yulie said to the scripture-fetcher, grabbing his clothes and hauling him to the other side.

"Then, come with me to fetch the scriptures." Tang Luo looked down at this person and spoke.

The terror on the scripture-fetcher's face gradually faded, then suddenly switched to an ingratiating expression; with a flip he knelt at Tang Luo's feet: "Master Xuanzang truly possesses formidable strength and boundless magic power. I am willing to follow you for life, to serve as ox and horse! To smash my body and brains for you, dedicating my all."

Head bowed, he hid all the resentful venom in his eyes.

"..."

"..."

Fei Yuan Shisan and Yu Kongyuan instinctively looked at Ao Yulie — you've met your match.

Ao Yulie wore a strange expression: "Why are you looking at me?"

"Nothing." Yu Kongyuan turned his head away.

"Serve as ox and horse, smash body and brains..." Fei Yuan Shisan, meanwhile, seemed to realize something — this is what counts as a qualified warrior.

Ao Yulie's dragon might just now was directed only at that black-red giant snake; it did not affect the two of them.

The two treated the scene just now as some kind of illusion technique.

A ghost using an illusion technique to manifest a ferocious, majestic giant beast and scare another ghost to death is a perfectly reasonable thing.

"Not needed. You just need to come with me to the Western Heaven to fetch scriptures." Tang Luo said, "Let's go, clear this 'Ghost Prison' first."

During the advance, Tang Luo and the others also learned this scripture-fetcher's history.

This person was picked up by the Heavenly River Shrine people when very young; from his earliest memory he lived in the shrine — this was exactly like Yu Kongyuan.

But unlike Yu Kongyuan's life as a little princess.

This scripture-fetcher who named himself "Heavenly River Exhausted" started doing odd jobs at four or five years old, struggling to feed himself.

Originally in such a precarious "chaotic era," this kind of life wasn't bad.

But when the special nature of Heavenly River Exhausted as a scripture-fetcher began to manifest, everything changed.

Coincidentally, during his gradual growth, Heavenly River Exhausted also began to dream — dreams about fetching scriptures; a voice in the dreams told him of his mission.

Moreover, Heavenly River Exhausted also displayed the special trait of a "scripture-fetcher."

Unlike Yu Kongyuan who can heal and resurrect, Heavenly River Exhausted's special trait is undying.

After being injured he can recover rapidly.

This was also the start of his nightmare.

The Heavenly River Shrine's origin is indeed a powerful exorcist's "inheritance," but it only has secret arts — no bloodline.

After the exorcist died, the shrine lost its pillar; the remaining people produced no genius who, lacking the exorcist bloodline, could still unleash seventy or eighty percent of the secret arts' power.

The Heavenly River Shrine inevitably began to decline.

To pursue strength, the Heavenly River Shrine placed its hopes on Heavenly River Exhausted — after discovering his undying trait.

What followed were all manner of inhumane, cruel experiments. They believed Heavenly River Exhausted was an exorcist; if they could transplant his bloodline, then one day the Heavenly River Shrine could become a powerful exorcist clan!

The cruel experiments lasted a full several decades.

Yes, Heavenly River Exhausted's age is far, far greater than he looks.

Perhaps because of the experiments, after growing to a certain point he stopped growing, forever keeping a child's appearance.

【33】 Several decades passed; the shrine's people turned over old for new; the several important "elders" who once made Heavenly River Exhausted fearful all died.

Over the course of several decades, the personnel of the Tianhe Shrine turned over, and the several important "elders" who had once made Tianhe Jin tremble with fear all died.

Although experiments continued, the greatest pressure weighing on his head suddenly vanished.

Heavenly River Exhausted used his "undying body" to stubbornly outlive his powerful enemies — a victory for the "longevity faction."

What followed was a revenge story.

From when Heavenly River Exhausted began being experimented on until now, the shrine's people today should belong to the third generation.

Heavenly River Exhausted thoroughly seized ruling authority, turning the shrine's people into his puppet playthings.

Then, he planned to go fetch scriptures.

Yes, for both Heavenly River Exhausted and Yu Kongyuan, the matter of fetching scriptures is like an instinct carved into the depths of their marrow — irresistible, and they never thought to resist.

As for the "Transcendence True Sutra Fragmentary Scrolls," the Heavenly River Shrine doesn't have them.

What the shrine has is the secret art left by that exorcist; if legend holds, the exorcist's power comes from the Transcendence True Sutra, so broadly it could count as a fragmentary scroll?

The true fragmentary scroll — the shrine doesn't have it.

That scroll was obtained by Heavenly River Exhausted by chance during an escape; it was also the start of his revenge.

A scroll recording a bizarre sword art; once unfurled, it can cause a person to mutate into a twisted monster.

Heavenly River Exhausted called these mutated people "snake ghosts."

If the scroll is unfurled for a short time, the mutation is only temporary; but long-term exposure to that "hiss-hiss-hiss" sound makes the mutation gradually irreversible.

As the mutation degree continuously intensifies, they thoroughly degenerate into inhuman ghosts.

Heavenly River Exhausted himself is unaffected; he swallows the scroll into his abdomen.

When he got the scroll, the experimenters were already the second generation — still unable to transplant bloodlines, but at least they no longer sliced him open at every turn like the early days.

Therefore the scroll went undiscovered.

Long-term swallowing of the scroll caused Heavenly River Exhausted to change somewhat — changes beneficial to him; after snake pupils appeared, he gained the ability to control the mutated "snake ghosts."

The shadow belonging to Heavenly River Exhausted began to erode the Heavenly River Shrine.

That black-red giant snake Ao Yulie roared to death originally wasn't a snake — it was a person.

Mutation, mutual devouring, evolution — only at the end did it become that kind of eerie ghost with a snake torso growing human limbs.

Raised by Heavenly River Exhausted in this Ghost Prison.

Heavenly River Exhausted's original plan was to find some capable people, cultivate a few more similar ghosts, then have these ghosts protect him on the journey to the Western Pure Land to fetch scriptures.

Unexpectedly the plan had barely begun when he ran into Tang Luo.

As someone tortured by experiments for decades, Heavenly River Exhausted is extremely adaptable; with no escape, he knelt on the spot.

He laid out his origins clearly and plainly, even handing over the scroll directly.

It doesn't matter; once these people are all dead, the final victor will still be him.

Not dying is the strongest revenge method in history.

Outliving your enemies is victory!

"So you don't know whether this is actually a remnant scroll of the Du Shi True Sutra?" Yu Kongyuan said.

"Yes." Tian Hejin's face was full of smiles, only the smile made people very uncomfortable.

A person who has been tortured for decades, his heart has long since been twisted.

When Tang Luo took the scroll, no information surfaced; it wasn't equipment, and it probably wasn't an item that could be brought back either.

He glanced at it twice, then Tang Luo tossed the scroll to Ao Yulie: "Hold it. You said you can hear sounds; this is perfect for tempering."

"Oh." Ao Yulie nodded, putting the scroll away.

On the surface, Tian Hejin showed not the slightest anger at having the scroll taken, continuing to wear a full face of smiles; as for how he was cursing in his heart, that was unclear.

"So everyone in the Tianhe Shrine has become snake ghosts?" Tang Luo asked.

"Correct." Tian Hejin nodded.

"Then let them go die." Tang Luo said.

"The distance is too far; I have no way to command or control them right now."

Tang Luo's steps halted: "They'll go out of control?"

"They'll attack all nearby 'Aliens,' but they won't go down the mountain." Tian Hejin was honest and straightforward, not thinking about how to counter-kill at all.

His most important scroll was completely ineffective against others, so no counter-killing; he'll just endure.

"We'll make a trip back." Tang Luo said to Ao Yulie.

"Okay, Master." Ao Yulie turned into a streak of light, sweeping up Tang Luo and soaring straight into the clouds.

In less than two minutes, the two landed again.

"Let's go, clear out the Ghost Prison." Tang Luo said.

"Lord Xuanzang, already resolved?" Yu Kongyuan was surprised by Tang Luo's speed.

"Mm." Tang Luo nodded.

Yu Kongyuan didn't speak, but he was full of confidence in the future journey to fetch scriptures.

Every time he thought he had figured out this former scripture-fetcher's strength, he would always bring a surprise, fully interpreting what "don't bother guessing, you can't guess it" means.

Following behind Tang Luo, watching him casually make a move, easily killing the ghosts pouncing from the Ghost Prison.

Tian Hejin swallowed his saliva, looked at Yu Kongyuan and asked: "You're also a scripture-fetcher?"

"Mm." Yu Kongyuan nodded, his gaze toward Tian Hejin holding a bit of sympathy; she is a kind child.

"Tch." Tian Hejin disregarded Yu Kongyuan's sympathy entirely, "So you don't die either, huh?"

"I don't know... but I can save people." Yu Kongyuan said.

Tian Hejin carried malice: "Want to try? Maybe all scripture-fetchers are immortal?"

As soon as the words fell, Fei Yuan Shisan blocked between the two.

Tian Hejin raised both hands, stepped back two steps, but the words in his mouth didn't stop: "Hey, have you ever thought about what we scripture-fetchers actually are?"

"What?" Yu Kongyuan was a bit puzzled.

"It's us." Tian Hejin said, "Do you think we're really the chosen ones? Why do we look so similar, why do we all have a voice in our minds telling us to fetch scriptures, why can't we resist, not even feeling aversion, and even take pleasure in going to fetch scriptures?"

"Haven't you ever thought about it? The reason for all this."

"As scripture-fetchers, isn't fetching scriptures our mission?" Yu Kongyuan's words carried a tone of taking it for granted.

"Heh." Tian Hejin let out a laugh, "I used to think so too; isn't fetching scriptures a matter of course, something self-evident? Just like how hunting, slaughtering, tearing people apart, tearing apart the living beings before one's eyes, is a matter of course for ghosts."

Yu Kongyuan's steps stopped, he looked at Tian Hejin, tone serious: "What do you mean by this?"

Tian Hejin said: "Look, the scroll can alienate people into snake ghosts, but it's ineffective against the three of us."

Fei Yuan Shisan would directly alienate, the other one would also hear hissing sounds.

Pausing for a moment, he continued: "Why? Because our identity is scripture-fetchers. You say, could it be that we scripture-fetchers weren't human to begin with?"

"Ghosts, how could they possibly be alienated into ghosts?"

"..."

Yu Kongyuan didn't speak, but his gaze couldn't help looking toward Tang Luo at the very front.

He saw him casually tear a ferocious, hideous ghost a full ten meters tall in half.

Black-red fresh blood filled the long sky, like falling rain.

Yet not a single drop landed on him; his white long hair and clothes were clean and spotless, not stained by a speck of dust.

Are we... ghosts?