Chapter 613: A Countermove?

"I really didn't expect you to be from the Underworld."

Kong Yuan Si's gaze at Xuanqing Daozhang was full of barely concealed envy and jealousy; for a rogue practitioner like him, life has been precarious since the beginning of cultivation.

How could he not envy those righteous disciples protected by sects and families? For a Corpse Cultivator like him, the best way out is to forge a connection with the Underworld.

But.

The Underworld is such an entity that, for a rogue practitioner like him, forging a connection with it is very difficult.

From initial hope to gradual ruin!

He never expected to meet someone from the Underworld today; the battle with Xuanqing Daozhang made him clearly see how formidable Xuanqing Daozhang truly was, and that such a creature could be from the Underworld.

He remained unconvinced no matter what!

"I am from the Underworld; what does that have to do with you?"

Xuanqing Daozhang let out a cold laugh, looked at the barely concealed jealousy on Kong Yuan Si's face, and sneered:

"What, you also want to forge a connection with the Underworld? If you sincerely wish to do so, just kneel and kowtow a few times, and I'll help you connect with the Underworld. How does that sound?"

Kong Yuan Si stared coldly at Xuanqing Daozhang, yet it was obvious that Xuanqing Daozhang's words were merely toying with him.

If he kneels and kowtows a few times to Xuanqing Daozhang, Xuanqing Daozhang could help him secure a link with the Underworld; even if he called Xuanqing Daozhang "grandfather", he would be willing to do it.

Kong Yuan Si, suppressing the tide of jealousy rising within, said, "Old Taoist, don't be so arrogant. Even if you are from the Underworld, what of it? You're merely at the end of a strong bow; do you really have other means to escape from me?"

"I not only have other means to escape your grasp, I also have other ways to take your life!"

Xuanqing Daozhang let out a cold laugh, saw the disdain on Kong Yuan Si's face, realized he saw through his bluster, and retorted:

"If you have the skill, why not destroy this Guimen Guan and let it swallow the resentful spirits you've collected over years? Without those spirits, how much power could you still wield?"

Through this life‑and‑death clash, his true strength was made perfectly clear to Kong Yuan Si.

Likewise, Kong Yuan Si's background was crystal clear to him.

He knew clearly that all of Kong Yuan Si's abilities rested on this one evil art; he could use other techniques, but they were far inferior to this evil art.

If Kong Yuan Si lacked this forbidden evil art, he was confident he could slay Kong Yuan Si and avenge his parents and Wenjun's parents, even if Kong Yuan Si were a Corpse Cultivator.

In fact.

He was puzzled: Kong Yuan Si clearly walked the Corpse Cultivator path, yet all his abilities lay in this evil art instead of expanding Corpse Cultivator skills. If Kong Yuan Si hadn't just been pierced by his Flying Sword and revived, he wouldn't have known that Kong Yuan Si was indeed a Corpse Cultivator.

He was like a Corpse Cultivator who took the wrong path!

"Even without this evil art, killing you would be a trivial task!"

Kong Yuan Si could no longer restrain the murderous intent in his heart; clusters of black qi gathered in his palm, a prelude to another spell. He hurled them like a snarling black snake toward Xuanqing Daozhang, shouting, "Die! Though you summoned the Guimen Guan, I will not let you report to Yama King!"

He had originally intended to speak a few more words with Xuanqing Daozhang to see if he could glean the information he sought, but never expected Xuanqing Daozhang to mention the resentful spirits; already seething with anger, he could no longer suppress the murderous intent within.

If possible.

How could he possibly watch those resentful spirits being sucked into the Guimen Guan with his eyes wide open?

It was because, with the appearance of the Guimen Guan, he realized he had lost control over this evil art; not only was the Guimen Guan suppressing his evil art, but the art itself was refining one resentful spirit after another, forcing him to barely regain some sanity and to resist the urge to enter the Guimen Guan for reincarnation.

Closing this evil art was extremely difficult; he could only watch helplessly as the resentful spirits were drawn into the Guimen Guan, feeling as if his heart were bleeding.

"Now it seems I will truly reunite with my family's Wenjun!"

Xuanqing Daozhang watched the spell Kong Yuan Si unleashed, clearly feeling the power of death. He wanted to strike back, but fatigue seeped through his whole body and his internal cultivation energy was nearly exhausted; he could not even muster magical defense, let alone turn or dodge. He could only watch helplessly as the spell morphed into a vicious black serpent, baring fangs and lunging at him.

He could only wait silently for death to arrive!

There was not a hint of fear on Xuanqing Daozhang's face; having lived most of his life without much attachment to this world, his greatest regret might be never being recorded in history. Now he knows clearly that his family's Wenjun is in the Underworld and has even carved out a realm in the netherworld.

Even if he dies this way, he can still reunite with his family's Wenjun; what is there to fear?

However.

This novel you

Xuanqing Daozhang seemed to recall something, turned his head, and as one black silhouette after another was sucked into the Guimen Guan, the shadows besieging Le Zhuang and Wang Ping'an vanished. Le Zhuang reacted the fastest, immediately grabbing Wang Ping'an and fleeing, silently praying: 'If I die it's fine, but this old kid must escape!'

"Is this old thing really at the end of a strong bow?"

Kong Yuan Si stared intently at Xuanqing Daozhang, hoping to see his reaction to this lethal strike, but was disappointed: just as the spell he unleashed was about to precisely hit Xuanqing Daozhang, Xuanqing Daozhang neither countered nor even turned to dodge.

The next moment.

"Bang!"

A black shield materialized in front of Xuanqing Daozhang, blocking the spell Kong Yuan Si hurled, producing a muffled explosion and successive surges of force that sent the surrounding black qi swirling.

Kong Yuan Si was not surprised at all, sneering, "I knew you, old Taoist, still have a trump card. But I want to see how many trump cards you have."

"This is..."

Resigned to his fate, Xuanqing Daozhang stared at the black shield that suddenly appeared before him, blocking Kong Yuan Si's spell, his face full of astonishment; it was neither a life‑saving artifact nor a spell he had cast, but...

Just as Xuanqing Daozhang was about to discern how the black shield had appeared before him, his peripheral vision caught Kong Yuan Si lunging forward, clearly preparing to employ his Corpse Cultivator specialty.

A Corpse Cultivator's abilities are all rooted in the body.

(End of Chapter)