Chapter 358

On a patch of open ground in the depths of the valley, two behemoths were fighting.

A golden giant python four or five zhang long, and a cyan giant tiger the size of a house.

The golden giant python was using its body covered in golden scales to tightly coil around the lower half of the cyan giant tiger, while simultaneously biting the tiger's neck; the golden scales on its body surface were flickering, appearing blurry and uncertain, as if they did not truly exist.

And from within the cyan giant tiger's body came a whistling thunderous sound; ignoring the golden python coiling around its lower half, it was using its two front claws to tear at the golden python's body, while its blood-red maw also bit down on a large section of the python's tail, appearing to be swallowing it desperately.

The cyan giant tiger's body was slick and shiny, with clear bamboo patterns on it; it was clearly a mechanical puppet crafted from pieces of green bamboo.

Just as the golden giant python and the cyan giant tiger puppet were deadlocked.

The white jade boat flew in front of the two giant beasts.

The sound of a "Namo Amitabha" Buddha chant rang out.

On the cliff wall on one side of the valley, a young monk with red lips and white teeth flew out, holding an open golden scripture in his hand, and shook it toward the two giant beasts fighting.

With a "puff" sound.

The golden giant python immediately burst apart, turning into countless golden Sanskrit characters that flew back, and after a flicker, the Sanskrit characters all vanished into the scripture.

"The famous Demon-Subduing Golden Scripture of the Jin Gang Temple is nothing more than this."

As soon as the voice fell, two men and one woman flew out from the cliff wall on the other side of the valley; the woman in white palace attire among them spoke coldly to the monk opposite, then pointed a single hand at the cyan giant tiger on the open ground.

A series of "crack" sounds rang out.

The cyan giant tiger rapidly deformed and shrank, turning into a cyan round bead the size of an egg in the blink of an eye, flying back into the slender hand of the woman in white palace attire.

"Yuantong."

Wang Yu, on the jade boat, blurted out the name as soon as he saw the young monk's face clearly.

This monk was none other than the Jin Gang Temple disciple he had encountered together with Gong Yue in the Jialan Secret Realm.

But almost at the same time, the woman in white palace attire at the cliff wall on the other side called out to Wang Yu with pleasant surprise:

"Fellow Daoist Wang, it is you!"

Wang Yu subconsciously swept his gaze toward the woman in white palace attire, and after a flash of surprise on his face, he also called out, "Fellow Daoist Tianhe."

This woman in white palace attire was none other than Princess Tianhe, whom he had encountered at the Guangyuan Market back then.

This woman was the daughter of the Prince of Tianhe of the Wu Kingdom, and she had intended to join the Thousand Bamboo Sect back then; he had not expected to meet her here again.

Looking at the aura on her body and the bamboo leaf mark on the corner of her dress, she had not only joined the Thousand Bamboo Sect but had also become a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

"Liu Shimei Tianhe, do you know this fellow daoist?" The other two men in cyan tight-fitting clothes carrying things also flew out from the cliff wall, looked at Wang Yu and the other two on the jade boat, and the cyan-clothed man who looked about fifty years old asked Princess Tianhe.

"Li Li Shixiong Zhuo, this Fellow Daoist Wang once saved my life in the past." Princess Tianhe's joy faded, and she replied with a bit of coldness restored.

"I also did not expect to meet an old friend. Wang Yu of the Four Symbols Gate greets the two fellow daoists." Wang Yu first smiled at the woman in white, then bowed to the other two.

Among the three Thousand Bamboo Sect Foundation Establishment cultivators, the man of about fifty years old had an astonishing spiritual pressure, possessing the cultivation of the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment; Princess Tianhe and the other man in cyan tight-fitting clothes had auras similar to his, and should only be early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.

"Zhuo Fan of the Thousand Bamboo Sect."

He saw that deep within the beast claw, a profound Dharma-pattern diagram composed of dense spirit-pattern symbols emerged.

The two Thousand Bamboo Sect men also returned the salute, but while the man of about fifty years old had a normal expression, the other handsome youth of twenty-seven or twenty-eight looked at Wang Yu with some unusual interest.

"Brother Zhuo, I did not expect your sect to send you out this time. It seems your sect attaches great importance to this mission." Yun Yun Cai Shang, on the jade boat, ignored the others but smiled lightly at the eldest, Zhuo Fan.

This woman seemed to know this mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Thousand Bamboo Sect.

"Hasn't Wu Xianzi Yun come as well? Who is this fellow daoist?" Zhuo Fan, carrying a cyan wooden box, nodded at the woman in the red dress, then glanced at the last person on the jade boat and asked calmly.

"Xuan Tianwu of the Four Symbols Gate, greets all fellow daoists." Li Li Shixiong Xuan also cupped his fists at the three of them and said.

"Hehe, so it is Fellow Daoist Xuan, famous for the Thick Earth Art. Disrespect, disrespect. I have also long heard of Fellow Daoist Wang Yu's name in the Thousand Bamboo Sect." Zhuo Fan chuckled and said to the three of them.

"In terms of strength, Brother Zhuo was already a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator thirty years ago; I am afraid you are very close to the late-stage realm now.

But what was going on before?

Why did this junior sister start fighting with the master from the Jin Gang Temple?" Yun Yun Cai Shang said with autumn ripples flowing in her beautiful eyes.

"It was not a fight, it was just this humble monk and this Thousand Bamboo Sect fairy slightly exchanging pointers on the way of puppets.

On the contrary, Benefactor Wang, I did not expect you and I to meet again." Yuantong, on the cliff wall on the other side, also flew over lightly, and after a slight bow, said calmly, but his gaze fell on Wang Yu.

"Yuantong, I also did not expect that you and I would be able to perform a mission together again. The Jin Gang Temple wouldn't have sent only you, would it?" Wang Yu replied slowly, his eyes narrowing involuntarily.

This Jin Gang Temple monk, who might be the reincarnation of the Jialan Ascendant, had actually advanced to the Foundation Establishment realm, but his appearance had not changed at all over the years; instead, he appeared even more delicate and tender-skinned.

"Exchanging pointers on puppet techniques?

Was that golden python from before the demon-subduing puppet in the scripture in your hand, Master?

I have long heard of your sect's Demon-Subduing Golden Scripture, but this is the first time I have seen the real thing. On the contrary, the Thousand Bamboo Sect is famous for its puppet techniques, claiming to be able to craft seventy-one types of spirit bamboo puppets; that cyan tiger puppet from before was also extraordinary." Yun Yun Cai Shang asked with a smile.

"Namo Amitabha, besides this humble monk, Li Li Shixiong Yuanhui and Uncle-Master Master Zhi Ming have also come, and are resting in the cave behind.

As for the Demon-Subduing Golden Scripture in this humble monk's hand, it is only a secondary volume, and the demon-subduing puppet summoned has only one or two tenths of the power of the primary volume.

The previous exchange was just because this Wu Xianzi Tianhe of the Thousand Bamboo Sect insisted on seeing the demon-subduing power of the Golden Scripture. Since the fellow daoists of the Four Symbols Gate have arrived, this humble monk will return to meditate first." Yuantong chanted another Buddha name, and after telling Wang Yu and the others a few words frankly, he turned and left, flying toward a certain cave in the cliff wall behind him.

"The demon-subduing puppet is indeed extraordinary. The puppet projection summoned earlier had at least the strength of an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. If this little monk can possess the Demon-Subduing Golden Scripture, even if it is only a secondary volume, his status in the Jin Gang Temple must be extraordinary." Yun Yun Cai Shang watched Yuantong's departing back and muttered.

Wang Yu also revealed a thoughtful expression.

For some reason, he always felt that the Yuantong he saw this time was very different from before, as if there had been some fundamental change, completely different from the past.

Suddenly, his gaze shifted and met a gaze looking over from another direction; it was Princess Tianhe looking over quietly.

Seeing Wang Yu look over, two blushes flew onto her cold face, and she lowered her head.

The Thousand Bamboo Sect youth named Luo Yiming, seeing this scene, felt his expression darken involuntarily.

"Brother Zhuo, besides your sect and the masters from the Jin Gang Temple, have the fellow daoists from the Sunset Sect arrived?" Li Li Shixiong Xuan asked Zhuo Fan in the other direction.