Chapter 1003

Moreover, with this retreat, Cao Zhengchun had swiftly neutralized the evil Qi within his body, then circulated the Primordial Yuan Tiangang true essence.

After completing one minor Heavenly Circuit, the injuries on Cao Zhengchun's body were already mostly healed.

Seeing that Benefactor Guihai still refused to give up, charging over with boundless might and dense evil Qi.

Cao Zhengchun sneered coldly in his heart.

When a tiger doesn't show its ferocity, you really take this old Eunuch for a sick cat?

His face remained impassive, as if he still hadn't recovered.

But in his hand he had already gathered a thunderous strike, only waiting for Benefactor Guihai to attack within reach.

Then he would strike, and with one blow could shatter Benefactor Guihai's saber momentum.

After that, he would show no mercy—at the very least, he would cripple this arrogant brat.

His thoughts were excellent, but Zhu Wushi was present at this moment.

As the foremost expert of the current Wu Lin, Zhu Wushi's eyesight was truly astonishing.

In one glance he saw through that Cao Zhengchun looked wretched on the outside, but in truth was poised to strike.

He immediately understood that if Benefactor Guihai continued his assault, he would likely fall right into this old Eunuch's trap.

He immediately said in a loud voice,

"Yidao, that's enough, fall back!"

As he spoke, fearing Benefactor Guihai would not heed him, he aimed his palm at Benefactor Guihai.

Devouring Art!

A tremendously powerful suction force directly drew away and dispersed all the saber momentum Benefactor Guihai had gathered.

Without that eerie saber momentum, Benefactor Guihai gradually regained clarity of spirit.

In an instant, he came to his senses.

He no longer pursued Cao Zhengchun, but instead turned and came to Zhu Wushi's side, leaning on his saber and dropping to one knee,

"Foster Father! Yidao has brought trouble upon you."

At this moment, because the eerie saber momentum was gone, Benefactor Guihai had already gradually awakened.

Reflecting on everything he had done over the past half day, he suddenly recalled that not long ago he had killed Master Liaojie.

In his heart he felt both unwilling and ashamed.

So much so that he confessed his guilt before Zhu Wushi.

As the Number One Earth-rank secret agent, Benefactor Guihai was truly Zhu Wushi's capable assistant.

At least, the publicly known capable assistant.

Therefore, no matter what Benefactor Guihai had done now, Zhu Wushi wished to protect him as much as possible.

Without waiting for Duan Tianya and Shangguan Haitang to speak up and plead for him, Zhu Wushi gave a洒脱 smile and said,

"Yidao, what trouble or no trouble—get up! Whatever it is, we'll discuss it when we get back."

Cao Zhengchun had been poised to strike, wanting to use thunderous means to cripple Benefactor Guihai.

He never expected Zhu Wushi to see through it and forcibly recall Benefactor Guihai.

At this, Cao Zhengchun was so angry his face turned green.

So all the face he had just lost was lost for nothing?

Furious in his heart, Cao Zhengchun gave Liaofan a meaningful glance.

Liaofan had always had some complaints about Benefactor Guihai—after all, although he had seen it with his own eyes, he was ultimately only at the back of Yunzhou Shaolin and had only seen Benefactor Guihai present at the scene.

Therefore, if not Benefactor Guihai, then who killed Liaojie?

It's just that Zhu Wushi not only held extremely high prestige in the imperial court, being the current Imperial Uncle,

but also in the Wu Lin, he was the foremost man under heaven, possessing tremendous prestige.

So Liaofan had repeatedly intended to open his mouth and question him.

But seeing Zhu Wushi's half-smiling, seemingly casual glance at himself,

all of Liaofan's thoughts were rendered unspeakable.

Now having received Cao Zhengchun's hint, he understood this meant Cao Zhengchun would back him up.

Although Cao Zhengchun, whether in court or out, was no match for Zhu Wushi,

his strength and influence were also extremely powerful and vast.

With his support, plus the golden招牌 of Yunzhou Shaolin Temple,

even if Zhu Wushi were more unyielding, there would still be some hope.

Liaofan immediately made up his mind, stepped forward, proclaimed a Buddhist invocation, then said,

"Zhuge Shenhou! This Benefactor Guihai did not merely bring trouble, but rather—"

He was about to say that Benefactor Guihai killing Liaojie was truly a crime.

But before the words were finished, from within the sea of fire in Xue Damo Hall, a human figure covered in flames suddenly burst out.

The moment this figure appeared, Cao Zhengchun's eyelid twitched, fully expecting this to be Zhou Zhiruo.

He immediately prepared to act.

Unexpectedly, this person called out loudly to Liaofan,

"Abbot Senior Brother, the Tian Xiang Cardamom is gone...

Liaoku is无能, I have let down Senior Brother, let down Yunzhou Shaolin..."

"Ah? Junior Brother Liaoku?"

Liaofan's words naturally trailed off.

Seeing Liaoku's wretched state, he immediately rushed toward Liaoku.

Although Liaoku's cultivation could not compare to the three great divine monks, he was after all a "Liao"-generation Gao Seng of Yunzhou Shaolin.

These "Liao"-generation Gao Seng were dwindling with every one lost.

Losing one would be an immeasurable loss to Yunzhou Shaolin.

Therefore, Liaofan had no time to spare for questioning Benefactor Guihai Yidao, only thinking of saving Liaoku.

He had barely moved when a figure flashed before him in an instant.

In the blink of an eye, it stopped right in front of Liaoku.

Looking closely—was it not Zhuge Shenhou Zhu Wushi!

Zhu Wushi raised his hand and once again activated the Heaven-Swallowing Art.

The flames that had been burning endlessly on Liaoku's body were completely drawn away by this art.

What was revealed was Liaoku's body, charred like charcoal.

Zhu Wushi frowned, then drew a pill from his robes.

With a casual toss, it went straight into Liaoku's mouth.

Then he struck out another palm, pressing it against Liaoku's dantian.

True qi flowed in an endless stream into Liaoku's body, keeping a last breath of life in him.

Liaofan only just managed to arrive in time, seeing Zhu Wushi expending his true qi to treat Liaoku.

No matter how many grievances he held against Zhu Wushi, at this moment he did not know where to begin.

He could only heave a long sigh and say,

"Amitabha! Shenhou is magnanimous and benevolent; this old monk is utterly impressed. Please accept my bow."

As the head of Shaolinzhang Sect, Liaofan's bow carried no small weight.

But before he could bow, Zhu Wushi spoke up,

"Master Liaofan, no need for such courtesy. Treating this master is what's urgent now. Please lend your strength together with me."

"Very well!"

Liaofan nodded, then extended a finger and pressed it onto Liaoku's Dazhui acupoint.

With two of the present age's greatest masters working together with one mind, Liaoku, who had been on the verge of death, finally rallied.

When he let out a groan and began coughing ceaselessly,

Zhu Wushi finally let out a long breath, withdrew his palm, wiped the sweat from his brow, and asked,

"Master, what did you mean earlier when you said the Tian Xiang Cardamom was gone?"

The Tian Xiang Cardamom was something Zhu Wushi was determined to obtain.

He had long learned from Tianhui that Yunzhou Shaolin kept a Tian Xiang Cardamom in veneration.

But the time was not yet right to lay his cards on the table with Yunzhou Shaolin, so he had been holding himself back all this while.