Chapter 383: Slaying the God at the Hidden Dragon

【Bone of the Red Blood Stele (Seventh Tier)】

【...... The bone of a Tiangangjing Grandmaster, soaked in ten thousand drops of Red Water, its spiritual nature severed, then nurtured by incense smoke for a century, capable of serving as a dwelling...】

【Prerequisites for Mastery: Bai Shen Fa, Fifth Layer; Blood Vajra Fa, Sixth Layer】

【Effects of Mastery: Eighth Tier (Gold): Power of Earth Fiends

Seventh Tier (Pale Gold): Blood Vajra Fa, Seventh Layer (Great Perfection); Blood as Divine】

【A deity resides within】

"?! "

One glance, and Li Yuan's heart pounded wildly; he nearly leaped up.

A Grandmaster gathers various wonders of heaven and earth, undergoes the transformations of Earth Fiends and Tian Gang Jing, and only then can touch the threshold of a Great Grandmaster.

A dwelling forged from the skeleton of an Ultimate Grandmaster...

"Blood Vajra Fa... Is this the Blood Vajra?!"

Li Yuan felt a chill of dread in his heart.

Unlike the declining incense of Mount Mo Tian's master, the temples of the Blood Vajra, though not bustling with incense, serve as subsidiary shrines for the vast majority of temples.

In the temples of major deities of the Fa Master rank, such as the Thousand-Eyed Bodhisattva, the Hundred-Armed Daoist, and the Red-Haired Buddha, their spirit tablets are present.

This is a deity of slaughter and protection!

With a swish, Li Yuan sprang from his bed; the Black Whale True Qi formed a palm, snatching up the little mouse snoring loudly in the corner.

He burst through the door, stamped his foot, and slashed through the rain curtain like thunder, heading straight for the small temple opposite.

He did not know why this Blood Vajra had come to Long Hu Temple, nor how it dared to come.

But, fleeing first is never wrong.

Crack!

Within the night, electric snakes rolled away, and thunder roared through the sky.

"Setting aside the Crimson Flame Dragon King, does Long Hu Temple now have only four Grandmasters?"

In the heavy rain, the Blood Vajra walked slowly, his voice transmitted by sound:

"In years past, how glorious Long Hu Temple was; Long Yin and Chun Yang suppressed an entire era, with six Great Grandmasters and eighteen Grandmasters under their banner. Now, only these few small creatures remain..."

The rain fell, soaking the clothes of the two. Fayin Fayin Tongzi, lacking his companion's sentiment, looked around, his brows furrowing slightly:

"We have reached the Inner Gate and still have not detected the trace of the Thousand Spirit Counting People Stele. Could it truly be inside the Long Hu Life-Nurturing Furnace?"

Over the course of a month, the two performed two rituals.

The second was the Thousand Spirit Divine Eye; the first was the Thousand Spirit Tracking. As long as they approached within a certain distance, they would see a dazzling blood light.

Yet, as they traveled this path, they failed to detect even a single trace.

"Perhaps it is?"

The Blood Vajra spoke carelessly, looking through the wind and rain toward the small temple in the distance:

"Among the four, is Long Xi Xiang the weakest?"

"Forty-odd years ago, Long Xi Xiang led them, but now... hmm, now that shouldn't be the case. It is said that Brother Helian Feng had his legs severed by the Daoist Yu of the Changhong Sword Sect. However, the one with the heaviest injuries is indeed Long Xi Xiang."

Fayin Fayin Tongzi nodded lightly.

"Thus: I will use my blood to replenish yours first. You go elsewhere to practice skills. Afterwards, we will join forces to break into the Flower Vault Life-Nurturing Protection!"

"Afterwards, whether we find it or not, we must leave immediately. Otherwise, if Long Yingchan pursues, no one will escape."

Crack~

Thunder exploded. Fayin Fayin Tongzi vanished without a sound; the half-crippled Long Xi Xiang was not worth the two of them joining forces.

"Hmm?!"

The Blood Vajra walked slowly in the rain. Suddenly, he paused. He saw, over sixty zhang away, a figure slash through like lightning, vanishing straight into the small temple opposite.

The speed was extreme; through the rain curtain, he saw only a lingering afterimage.

"A Grandmaster? No, it should be a Great Perfection of Blood Exchange... Long Xi Xiang's disciple? Or the Dao Son of Long Hu?"

Turning the thought over in his mind, the Blood Vajra did not advance further. The Long Xi Xiang, heavily injured for over forty years, was not worth his caution. What he feared was only the Life-Nurturing Furnace and Long Yingchan.

A half-crippled Tian Gang Jing, he did not even place in his eyes.

Whoosh~

The night wind howled; the night rain intensified suddenly.

Pouring out all his strength, Li Yuan tapped his foot once.

Covering five or six hundred meters, three steps merged into one, he leaped into the courtyard opposite with a swish.

The speed was so fast that Long Xi Xiang in the small temple was somewhat speechless.

"Not bad. Your reaction is quick, and your perception is sharp."

Flicking away the light screen before him with a finger, Long Xi Xiang commented with interest: "Pity you have not comprehended the Cloud Form; otherwise, you would be even more agile."

"Hah!"

Leaping into the courtyard, Li Yuan finally let out a long breath. In the dead of night, to have someone suddenly sneak up on his door had truly startled him.

One hundred and eighty meters seems like a lot, but for experts of this caliber, it makes no difference from being right in their face.

"So, you knew this all along?"

Li Yuan's heartbeat calmed. He felt that indeed, caution never leads to great error. Had he not been clever and moved to the back mountain, how could there be such safety?

"More or less,"

Long Xi Xiang nodded. He had indeed been waiting for someone to take the bait; he simply did not know which one would come.

"... That is good."

Li Yuan wiped a layer of cold sweat. He had previously been somewhat puzzled as to why the Dao Lord would descend the mountain. Now it seemed he too was an old fisherman.

Moreover, he really had hooked a big one.

"Speaking of which, this old man's luck isn't half bad — to think I actually hooked two big ones…"

Li Yuan glanced at him. The old dragon-head's smile didn't seem put on; the delight came straight from his heart, and even made Li Yuan feel a bit eager to try.

Yu Yu Xuanji then turned and pulled the temple door open with a loud bang.

Through the curtain of rain, he saw that 'Blood Vajra' — withered and emaciated, with only one arm, one eye crimson as blood, radiating an eerie glow in the night rain.

Striding slowly toward them.

"Thump~"

The instant the door opened, Li Yuan felt a sudden heat in his chest; a thunderous roar from some unknown source made his heart clench sharply, and his qi and blood instantly grew scalding hot.

"This fiend?"

Li Yuan decisively dodged back inside the small temple.

"'Blood Vajra' should be a Grandmaster who died some two thousand four hundred years ago. In life he cultivated the Bai Shen Fa and fell into qi deviation; his blood was his very life. After death he was enshrined as a god by the Xieshen Sect…"

Long Xi Xiang spoke, seemingly explaining to Li Yuan:

"Those furtive fellows of the Xieshen Sect, taking him as the god they cultivate — the Bai Shen Fa is also called the Blood-Vajra Worshipping Method. Its might is not to be underestimated."

Long Xi Xiang was calm and composed; his voice was neither loud nor soft, yet it suppressed the wind, rain, and thunder all around. Li Yuan only felt heat steaming up on all sides, and a great sense of security.

"Blood-Vajra Method"

Li Yuan muttered the name. He had some knowledge of it — back in the day, that Su Su Wanxiong was said to have cultivated this very method.

"The last time this minor deity appeared in the world was over seven hundred years ago."

At Long Xi Xiang's words, Li Yuan recalled.

Seven hundred years ago, there truly was a man who cultivated the Blood-Vajra Worshipping Method to great completion; his qi and blood surged like an ocean, he could sever a long river with a sweep, and single-handedly he was a match for a thousand troops.

"Long Xi Xiang, you've got quite the nerve."

Through the curtain of rain, Blood Vajra's expression was indifferent. Even separated by the rain and the distance, Li Yuan felt that gaze — solid, tangible.

A gaze of this caliber, anyone faint of heart would be scared to death on the spot even from several miles away.

The will of a Grandmaster?

With a mountain of support at his back, Daoist Li naturally had nothing to fear. He curiously sized up the figure opposite; as for the evil god enshrined by the Xieshen Sect, he was still very interested.

"You've been building momentum this long, and it's still not enough?"

Long Xi Xiang's reply was simple and direct. He didn't even bother to rise — he merely raised one hand in a casual lift:

"Come, let this old man have a look at your Blood-Vajra Worshipping Method."

His voice was still very calm, as if he were instructing a disciple; his manner was most affable.

The Blood Vajra outside the temple, however, flew into a rage. In his one remaining eye, a blood-colored light flickered:

"You don't know what's good for you!"

Boom!

The sound wave drowned out the thunderstorm.

Li Yuan only felt his vision suddenly flash crimson, and sensed a blood qi that could only be called terrifying.

He focused his gaze and looked — through the night rain, a dense blood qi surged skyward, like a hanging Milky Way cascading down.

Flowing, scorching hot, scattering the wind and rain all around.

Then, he could no longer see where the Blood Vajra was. In his line of sight, there remained only a wrathful Vajra seemingly cast from fresh blood.

"Crack-crack-crack~"

It sounded like the earth being stomped flat. The enraged Blood Vajra raised his hand and threw a punch through the air, crossing several zhang to strike.

"The Bai Shen Zheng Fa itself is not evil — it's only that those with insufficient talent force themselves to practice it, learn a fragment and think they've mastered it, thus fall into qi deviation, becoming neither man nor ghost, yet proclaim themselves gods…"

Outside the temple, the Vajra formed of blood qi was an overwhelming sight; raising one fist, his qi and blood surged across several zhang, vast as a single long river.

Inside the temple, Long Xi Xiang was calm and unhurried. As he spoke, the hand he had extended slowly closed:

"Watch carefully."

Li Yuan's spirit jolted, and he focused his perception.

"You're seeking death!"

Qi and blood like tide and wave crashed forth; the wind and rain were shattered by a single punch, the sound of tearing air louder than the thunderstorm.

Hum~

Almost at the same instant, Li Yuan saw a familiar radiance.

A divine light woven of gold and white rose from beyond the temple, from the rain-soaked earth, like a blooming gold-and-white lotus, just now enveloping the Blood Vajra within it.

"Dragon-Elephant Vajra Heaven!"

Outside the temple, an expression of disbelief flashed in the Blood Vajra's single eye:

"You've actually broken through the Heavenly Gang?!"

How could that be?!

The Blood Vajra was startled with fright, but now there was no time at all to ponder how Long Xi Xiang had managed to strip away Wan Wan Zhuliu's blade intent.

His body shook; the Vajra covering him let out a roar that pierced through the rain and carried for ten li, and he charged forward to kill, fearless of death.

He set his qi and blood ablaze like a burning banner — a blood meteor — and fled at once.

The Crimson Blood Stele was the bone of a Heavenly Gang Grandmaster, but refined into a dwelling, it was only at the Earth Sha level. To strike across realms from Earth Sha against a Grandmaster — even Pang Pang Wenlong would die!

"God?"

He heard Long Xi Xiang's derisive laugh, but couldn't even manage anger. He only heard a dragon's cry, and was already drowned in the divine light amid the curtain of rain.

"Ao!"

Li Yuan saw it clearly.

What covered the small temple, the curtain of rain, was precisely Long Xi Xiang's spirit manifestation.

"The core of the Dragon Elephant Vajra Heaven is not the dragon, not the elephant, but—Heaven!"

Li Li Yuanzhong only felt his mind hum, and outside the temple, the violent blood-colored vajra spirit manifestation had been utterly snuffed out by the Dragon Elephant Vajra Heaven, which had closed like a lotus blossom.

And the blood vajra that had fled for its life was seized in the claws of an azure dragon form; the next moment, it was already tossed onto the open ground inside the small temple.

"Bang!"

The small temple shuddered, the courtyard floor cracked in response, mud and water flying.

"A Heavenly Gang bone?"

Glancing at the blood vajra in the courtyard whose aura had been severed, Long Xi Xiang's face was full of disgust:

"A creature from the ghost realm, and it dares call itself a god!"

As he spoke, he reached out and grabbed; with a soft pop, he had already pinched an eyeball.

"This is?"

Li Li Yuanzhong had only just roused himself from the shock of that lightning-swift exchange, and was immediately drawn to that eyeball.

This eyeball was entirely crimson like agate, its interior filled with patterns like fine, dense blood vessels; from afar it looked sinister, but up close, it possessed an indescribable beauty.

"Thousand Spirit Dharma Eye."

Chen Shouhua crushed the base and scattered it across the courtyard.

"This eyeball has the ability to shatter delusions. The two old ghosts brought this thing here, they should have been looking for something, but it seems they didn't find it..."

As he spoke, he glanced at Li Li Yuanzhong, feeling quite surprised in his heart.

Regarding the Thousand Spirit Dharma Eye, he still understood it somewhat; at this close distance, no concealment method would work.

Could the trait of the Rift Sea Mysterious Whale Hammer truly not be hidden?

Or is it that...

They came again for the Rift Sea Mysterious Whale Hammer?

Li Li Yuanzhong broke out in a cold sweat. Had he not been cautious—never taking out the Mysterious Whale Hammer ever since obtaining it—he would have long since been caught by the Xieshen Sect.

This kind of

method is truly unfathomable.

"Right."

After a start, Li Li Yuanzhong recalled: "You said two old ghosts, then the other one..."

"That one."

Long Xi Xiang did not answer, merely raised his head toward outside the temple.

"Whoosh!"

Li Li Yuanzhong only heard a light sound, and saw a long sword break through the air, bringing with it a mangled corpse, pinning it into the courtyard floor.

The next instant, Nie Xianshan appeared like a phantom, and that long sword dissipated into the air.

"This fellow called himself Fayin Fayin Tongzi. I saw his aura was somewhat darkly venomous, and couldn't resist putting a sword through him.

Nicely done!

Li Li Yuanzhong let out a long breath, his goodwill toward Dao Master Long greatly increasing.

Had this veteran angler not lured out these two old ghosts, he would never have known these two old ghosts were lurking in the shadows.

"Fayin Fayin Tongzi, it seems he's only appeared for about a thousand-some years?"

Long Xi Xiang glanced at the corpse: "These old ghosts are terribly afraid of death; to this day, not one has dared to venture out in his true body.

"If they weren't afraid of death, why would they join the Xieshen Sect?"

Nie Xianshan snorted coldly.

"Hiding in an earthen hole, neither dead nor alive—what taste is there in that?"

Only now did Long Xi Xiang rise to his feet, shaking out his Daoist robe:

"There are still two more; let's go take a look together."

As he spoke, he looked toward Li Li Yuanzhong, his gaze sweeping over the Mirage Dragon Whip at his waist:

"You come too."

Boom!

Muted thunder rolled, seeming to have roars mingled within.

"Those two old ghosts have made their move!"

Shadow Heart, lurking in the shadows, was extremely alert; with a single thought, he had already slipped along the shadows into a small courtyard not far away, Shadow Tiger following with blade in hand.

The two merged with the shadows like phantoms; within this curtain of rain, they were even harder to spot.

After several bounds, the two had already landed in the courtyard.

"Mm?"

Yan Yan Chunyang, who sat cross-legged inside the house, seemed to sense something and opened his eyes:

"They're here?"

Stuffing the last spirit pill into his mouth, Yan Yan Chunyang pulled open the half-closed door.

"Shadow Heart!"

Shadow Heart stood on the rooftop, surveying the surroundings; seeing a flash of red light atop Dragon Gate Main Peak, his heart eased a fraction.

As he had expected, the two old ghosts, heavily damaged after performing the ritual, had indeed gone after the "weakest," Long Xi Xiang.

"Marquis, let's go!"

Shadow Tiger appeared.

"Go!"

Yan Yan Chunyang hesitated not a moment; with a light push of his toe, he leaped forward, following silently into the rain curtain without a single sound.

"Hmm?!"

Suddenly, a heat surged in Yan Yan Chunyang's chest, and he halted abruptly.

"Your Excellency?"

Ying Hu turned back, his expression a mix of surprise and suspicion.

"Where are you going?"

Yan Yan Chunyang clenched the prayer beads in his palm.

From the rain curtain outside the small courtyard, three figures approached slowly; he recognized the two at the front:

"Long Xi Xiang, Nie Xianshan!"