[Fantasy] The Song of the Six Dynasties (Complete) - 12

Episode 5, Lin'an Chapter

Synopsis:

Round 1: Lu Zhishen and Lin Chong join forces to force back the Cheng Group and escape together!

Round 2: Dafu Lingjiu Temple and Pomi Jingshan are locked in a stalemate over Buddhist teachings!

Round 3: Qin Hui confronts Ximen Qing, his "Shocking Demon Finger" angrily shattering the Heavenly Demon Umbrella!

Round 4: A chaotic battle erupts between seven forces, but a mysterious female assassin with a youthful face and large breasts emerges from underground?

Amidst the chaos, a mysterious woman from the Black Demon Sea suddenly appears, and Ximen Qing employs all sorts of tricks; Lu Zhishen's robe falls off, but Cheng Zongyang deciphers the inscription on the robe used to find the reincarnated child…

Chapter 1:

Sunlight filters through the leaves, dappling the ground. The air seems to freeze, without a breath of wind. Although it's mid-spring weather, Dong Chao and Xue Ba are drenched in sweat, carrying only a staff, their luggage and bundles hanging on Lin Chong's wooden shackles.

"You scoundrel!" Xue Ba said viciously, "Why don't we just finish him off here? That way we can save ourselves thousands of miles of walking."

"Silence!" Dong Chao said in a low voice, "Last night you tricked him into scalding his feet with boiling water, and this guy didn't even raise an eyebrow. The boiling water hit his feet, and not a single red mark appeared on his instep! Can't you see how good Lin Chong's skills are?"

Xue Ba said anxiously, "Old Dong! We've already taken the money! If you back down, the money from the Grand Commandant's mansion isn't something you can just take for free!"

"You're the one who's so impatient!" Dong Chao pulled Xue Ba back a few steps, looking at Lin Chong's back in the distance, and said, "This guy's skills are formidable; we can't easily subdue him. If we use force, we might lose our lives."

Xue Ba whispered, "What do you think?"

Dong Chao took out a bamboo tube from his sleeve, then took out a water bag from his waist, uncorked it, removed the wax seal from the bamboo tube, and poured the powder inside in.

"I bought this for a silver coin. Even a Great Immortal would be weak and powerless after eating it..."

Suddenly, a whooshing sound startled the two men. Looking closely, they saw a pheasant flapping its wings and flying out of the woods.

Xue Ba, quick-witted and agile, grabbed his cudgel and knocked the pheasant down. The two men exchanged a glance, and Dong Chao, carrying the pheasant by its wings, ran forward, shouting, "Instructor Lin, you're in for a treat! This pheasant just appeared out of nowhere; it's perfect for you to have a snack!"

Lin Chong wore heavy shackles, his hair was shaved, and his face was recently tattooed; he looked more weathered than his former boldness. He stopped, holding the cangue in both hands, and bowed slightly. "I wouldn't dare."

Dong Chao untied a water pouch from his waist, smiling as he said, "We should have carried our own luggage, but we had an upset stomach last night and have no strength left. It's all my fault, Instructor. Thank you for your hard work! Have some water."

Lin Chong watched as he placed the water pouch on the cangue, then opened his mouth and, like a whale sucking in water, drank most of it in one gulp.

His hands were shackled, preventing him from placing the pouch on the cangue and wiping his mouth. He could only nod and say, "Thanks." Dong Chao forced a smile. "We've had a long journey, it's time to rest. Instructor, please sit down. I'll kill this chicken for you to enjoy!"

Lin Chong leaned against a large tree, his tiger-like eyes scanning the surrounding mountains and forests. The ancient trees were dense and their upturned roots resembled monstrous pythons, exuding a sinister aura. He couldn't help but ask, "Where is this?"

"Wild Boar Forest," Dong Chao replied. "It's the only way to Jiangzhou. Don't worry, Instructor, we brothers know this road well; nothing will happen."

Lin Chong asked, "How far is it to Jiangzhou?"

Before Dong Chao could answer, Xue Ba interrupted, "How ignorant! We've just left Lin'an; Jiangzhou is still a long way off!" Lin Chong fell silent, leaning against the tree and closing his eyes to rest.

Dong Chao deftly bled the pheasant with a sharp, ox-ear-shaped knife, while giving Xue Ba a meaningful look. The two were used to this kind of work, and Xue Ba understood. He pretended to urinate, rattling the iron chain at his waist, and muttered curses as he walked behind the tree.

Once behind the tree, he spotted Lin Chong's position, then with a sudden flick of his wrist, the iron chain looped around the tree and tightened with a clatter, binding Lin Chong to the tree at the chest.

Bound by the iron chain, Lin Chong did not struggle; he simply opened his eyes slowly, as if all his strength had left him. Dong Chao tossed the pheasant aside, then approached, brandishing a blood-dripping dagger, saying, "Instructor Lin, you shouldn't have offended someone you shouldn't have. We brothers were just following orders."

Lin Chong's facial muscles twitched slightly, and he said in a deep voice, "Who wants to take my life?"

"Who else could it be?" Xue Ba nailed the iron chain to the tree, came over with his waist knife, and said with a trembling face, "Blame it on you for marrying such a beautiful woman, which has made the young master of the Grand Commandant's mansion fall for you. If you don't die, how can the young master elope with your wife?"

Dong Chao said, "Instructor, don't listen to his nonsense. Today's matter has nothing to do with your wife. Instructor, just rest assured on your journey. From now on, you'll be sure to have plenty of wine at the annual memorial services."

"You choose the path to hell when there's a way to heaven!" Xue Ba rolled up his sleeves and sneered, "Lin! This day next year will be your death anniversary!"

Lin Chong's jaw tightened as he stared at the knives in their hands, a hint of resentment and anger flashing in his tiger eyes. He said, word by word, "Where is my wife now?"

Dong Chao said, "Instructor Lin, your marriage is over in this life, what business is it of yours?" Xue Ba shouted, "Stop wasting your breath on this bastard! Let's settle this quickly!"

The two men stepped forward side by side to finish Lin Chong off, when suddenly a thunderous roar came from above: "You scoundrel! Take this from my staff!"

A burly man in a monk's robe leaped down from a tree, his massive body like a bronze bell, sending branches flying.

The two officers looked up in astonishment and saw Lu Zhishen rushing down with a gust of wind. With a roar, the monk slammed his staff into the ground with Xue Ba's right hand, which was holding the knife. Xue Ba let out only half a scream before his entire right hand was smashed into a bloody pulp by the egg-thick staff, blood splattering everywhere, and he immediately lost consciousness.

Dong Chao's eyes darted around, wanting to escape but unwilling to give up. He gripped his dagger and thrust it fiercely towards Lin Chong's heart, but Lin Chong took a deep breath and then, with a "poof," spat out a jet of water, expelling the half-full sachet he had just drunk, which landed squarely on Dong Chao's face.

Dong Chao felt as if he had been punched hard in the face, his vision went black, and he fell backward. Lu Zhishen raised his staff to end their lives, but with a clang, the staff was bound by iron shackles.

Lin Chong's hands gripped the shackles, blocking Lu Zhishen's staff, and he shook his head, saying, "You can't kill him." Lu Zhishen chuckled and shook his bald head. “You’re such a kind-hearted person.” With that, Lu Zhishen ignored the two constables, slammed his staff into the ground, and grabbed Lin Chong’s wooden shackles, intending to break them.

Lin Chong dodged, “You can’t break them.”

Lu Zhishen said, “Brother Lin! I came to save you, what’s the meaning of this?” Lin Chong said, “My wife is still in Lin’an, and I…” He gritted his teeth, his cheek muscles bulging, “I’m being exiled to Jiangzhou, and I still have a chance to return home. But if I kill an official and flee…”

Before Lin Chong could finish, Lu Zhishen cried out, “Oh dear! Brother Lin! You just can’t let go of your house and your possessions! You’re already in this state and you still want to go back to Lin’an!” "You've been exiled to Jiangzhou, and your sister-in-law is nowhere to be found. What use is it to return to Lin'an?"

Lin Chong grabbed Lu Zhishen's monk's robe and shouted, "Nowhere to be found!"

Lu Zhishen knew he had misspoke, but couldn't take it back. Pressed by Lin Chong, he could only scratch his bald head and say, "I rushed to the Lin residence as soon as I heard you were imprisoned, but there wasn't a soul in the house. I asked all the neighbors, but they all said they didn't know anyone."

Lin Chong's hands trembled slightly. Suddenly, his eyes flashed, and with a loud shout, he swung his iron shackles. Lu Zhishen reacted at the same time, grabbing his monk's staff, his robe billowing. With the twang of a bowstring, several dark flashes flew from the leaves, half deflected by Lin Chong's iron shackles, the other half flying towards Lu Zhishen.

The serrated arrowheads pierced the monk's robe like venomous fangs, clanging like metal against metal, bouncing off as if struck by iron.

Lu Zhishen drew his staff and strode forward like a rhinoceros charging into the dense forest, his straw sandals leaving a trail of footprints several inches deep on the ground.

Lin Chong shouted, "It's the Imperial City Guard! Watch out for their iron net!" Before his words even finished, a large net descended from the sky, covering Lu Zhishen's head like a dark cloud. This iron net was a common trapping tool used by the Imperial City Guard; it could be used for both offense and defense, but it wasn't difficult to defend against if one was prepared. Lin Chong dodged to the side of a tree, kicking the unconscious Dong Chao and Xue Ba deeper into the bushes to prevent them from being accidentally injured in the fight.

Lin Chong hesitated for a moment, but ultimately didn't break the wooden shackles sealed with tape. Instead, he leaped towards the attacked Lu Zhishen, chained to the ground.

The iron net was woven from silk and copper wire; even a rhinoceros would be trapped in it. Lu Zhishen's staff was entangled in the iron net, and he couldn't break free for a moment. Then, several figures floated down from the trees; two dealt with Lu Zhishen, while the other four surrounded Lin Chong.

Lin Chong, who was rushing forward, suddenly stopped, his feet sinking, and froze like a nail.

Holding his shackles, he looked at the newcomers and said, "Doctor Zhao, have you come to take Lin Chong's life?" The leader of the men raised his hand to stop his companions, and then said, "Instructor Lin, I, Zhao Feng'an, respect you as a good man. If you agree, I will let you commit suicide and leave you with a complete corpse."

As he spoke, Zhao Feng'an threw a waist knife in front of Lin Chong.

Lin Chong stared at the blade for a moment, then shook his head. "Lin's death is not a pity, but once he dies, the words 'committing suicide out of fear of punishment' will never be washed away in this life, and I'm afraid it will implicate his family."

A man wearing an Imperial Guard badge sneered, "Instructor Lin is so devoted to his wife, even on the verge of death he can't let go of her. It's a pity your wife has entered the Grand Commandant's mansion, even if the Imperial City Guard is willing, they can't touch a hair on Grand Commandant Gao's head."

Zhao Feng'an's group consisted of six men, three from the Imperial City Guard, and the rest were skilled fighters drawn from the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Justice.

Jiang Fengyan, who was speaking, was also an Imperial Guard officer. He had often disagreed with Lin Chong, and seeing him fall from grace, he couldn't suppress his glee and started to ridicule him.

Hearing Jiang Fengyan's harsh words, Zhao Feng'an knew he was in trouble and stood up to grab his waist knife, but he heard a shout behind him, and the iron net shattered with a crash, breaking into pieces as if torn apart by a giant beast.

Lu Zhishen tore off half of his monk's robe, revealing a thick shoulder and a muscular chest. He gripped a monk's staff in one hand, a string of Buddhist prayer beads hanging from his bare chest,

and his body was covered in a continuous trail of dark gold floral tattoos, making him appear like an angry Vajra. Two subordinates of the Imperial City Guard simultaneously raised their swords to strike Lu Zhishen, but the blades were immediately deflected by his Golden Bell Shield.

Lu Zhishen swung his crescent-shaped shovel, slicing one of the Imperial City Guard subordinates in half at the waist. Amidst the spray of blood, Lu Zhishen charged forward. The Imperial Guard officer who had spoken earlier slapped his wrist, and a small, pale gold talisman popped out from his sleeve, which he then smeared onto the blade.

Lin Chong shouted, "Be careful! It's Qian Zhendao's Burning Gold Talisman! It's specifically designed to break protective true energy!" The talisman merged into the blade like smoke, and the blade flashed with a sharp golden luster; Jiang Fengyan lowered his shoulder and tilted his wrist, his waist knife thrusting upwards, aiming straight for Lu Zhishen's waist and abdomen.

At the same time, two crossbow bolts flew down from overhead, their sharp edges gleaming with the same light. Under the threat of the longsword and crossbow bolts, Lu Zhishen's massive body displayed astonishing flexibility. He twisted his waist, like a giant bear suddenly performing a gymnastic movement, dodging the two bolts with incredible agility. Then, his nose slid close to Jiang Fengyan's blade, passing between his arms, before his powerful body sprang forward, slamming heavily into Jiang Fengyan's chest.

Jiang Fengyan only saw a blur before his eyes, and suddenly a muscular, tattooed, half-naked monk appeared between his arms. Then he was thrown into the air, a row of ribs on his right side snapping cleanly, before crashing to the ground, unable to get up.

Zhao Feng'an leaped back a step, his eyes sharp as knives. "What a handsome monk! What skillful hands!" Lu Zhishen shouted, wielding his staff in one hand and patting the tattoo on his chest with the other. "You damned officials! Look carefully! It was I who killed the official! Don't let my junior brother Lin be implicated!"

Zhao Feng'an said, "Instructor Lin, please forgive me."

Lin Chong said, "Doctor Zhao, I have never uttered a word about what happened that day. Now that I am a prisoner, why must you be so ruthless?"

Zhao Feng'an said, "If you were within the territory of the Song Dynasty, my Imperial City Guard would certainly protect you. But Grand Commandant Gao exiled you to Jiangzhou. Blame your bad luck!" As he spoke, he ordered his men, "You escort Instructor Lin on his way. I will meet the monk."

The Imperial City Guard dispatched a team of six men. Zhao Feng'an was still not at ease, so he secretly invited two sharpshooters from the Imperial Guard to ambush them. However, they were killed by Lu Zhishen as soon as they met.

Seeing that this Flower Monk was not to be trifled with, and hearing Zhao Feng'an's order, the other three breathed a sigh of relief, released Lu Zhishen, and charged at Lin Chong with their knives.

Zhao Feng'an untied a string of dark iron weapons from his waist, flicked his wrist, and revealed a centipede whip made of fine steel; the whip was covered with barbs, and the end had a four-pronged scorpion hook, its cold light gleaming menacingly. "Flowery Monk, you have committed a capital offense by killing an official and rescuing a prisoner!"

"I have acted uprightly! I have walked the straight path!" Lu Zhishen shouted with heroic spirit, "You bunch of damned officials deserve to die long ago! Even if I have broken my vow of killing, the Buddha will judge for himself! Come, come! Let me let you taste my monk's staff!"

Zhao Feng'an flicked his steel whip and met Lu Zhishen's attack. As a martial arts master, carrying imperial weapons, he was one of the top experts in the Imperial City Guard. His centipede whip was both powerful and flexible, and for a time, he and Lu Zhishen fought to a standstill.

Lin Chong stood firmly with his feet slightly apart, his body swaying like grass in a storm, dodging and weaving under the combined attack of the three men, occasionally using his iron shackles and wooden cangue to block their attacks.

The three were skilled fighters from the Imperial City Guard; after a few moves, they found Lin Chong's weakness, and one of them immediately swung his knife at Lin Chong's shin.

Lin Chong flipped his foot, stepping on the blade, then struck his opponent's wrist with his wooden cangue, taking advantage of the pain to loosen his grip, and sent him flying with a sideways movement; simultaneously, his shackled hands slammed into his opponent's back, forcefully sealing his acupoints.

Seeing their companion fly away, the other two felt a chill: Lin Chong, even in shackles and chains, possessed such skill; only Doctor Zhao could possibly subdue him.

Zhao Feng'an's centipede whip was unpredictable, tearing Lu Zhishen's monk's robe to shreds with its movements, but he felt no relief.

The monk before him possessed profound Golden Bell Shield cultivation; the incredibly sharp hooks on his whip coiled around Lu Zhishen's arm, producing a metallic scraping sound, yet unable to penetrate even an inch.

Lu Zhishen's Golden Bell Shield was impervious to blades and axes, and besides, his tattered monk's robe was worth little; he wielded his staff with unrestrained, sweeping movements. Zhao Feng'an's several strikes were forcefully repelled by Lu Zhishen's Golden Bell Shield, and he gradually fell into a disadvantageous position. While guarding the gate, Zhao Feng'an kept a close eye on Lu Zhishen's moves. Suddenly, he flicked his wrist, and the centipede whip flew straight out, the scorpion hook at the end aiming for Lu Zhishen's waist.

However, instead of striking his muscular back, it landed on a dusty old cloth bag at his waist. Sure enough, Lu Zhishen, who had treated even powerful crossbow bolts like flies, had twisted to avoid the centipede whip, clearly valuing the old bag.

Having discovered his weakness with this move, Zhao Feng'an suddenly moved like a lurking venomous snake baring its fangs.

With a flick of his left hand, several small talismans, each about an inch long, flew out simultaneously. Then, his right hand, wielding a centipede whip, passed through the fluttering talismans, catching them as the whip twisted.

The pale gold Burning Gold Talisman specifically targets protective true energy; the crimson Separating Fire Talisman causes weapons to reach terrifying temperatures in a short time; the dark gray Heavy Rock Talisman greatly increases the weight of weapons when struck; the white Bewitching Immortal Talisman makes weapons appear as smoke when activated, indistinguishable, while simultaneously concealing all traces and sounds of the attack… More importantly, there was also a golden-purple Doppelganger Talisman.

In an instant, Zhao Feng'an's centipede whip transformed into three, each imbued with the effects of talismans. Each of these talismans was expensive, enough to feed the Flower Monk dog meat for two years, and many were priceless treasures.

If Zhao Feng'an hadn't been a disciple of the Qianzhen Dao sect, most of these talismans would have been made by him over several years, something money couldn't buy.

Now, the talismans were at full power. The centipede whip first burst into a seven-colored radiance, each luster representing a different effect, then split into three, transforming into a billowing white mist. It moved with incredible speed yet remained silent, instantly engulfing Lu Zhishen's massive figure.

Amidst the billowing white mist, specks of blood splattered. Lu Zhishen's roar seemed to come from underwater, deep and muffled, indistinct.

Lin Chong, who had been caught in the crossfire without retaliating, let out a long howl, grabbed the wooden shackles, and ripped them apart. The broken shackles shattered instantly, the broken ends striking the shin of a nearby man like sharp axes, knocking him to the ground. Then, he grabbed his waist knife and leaped into the air.

Lin Chong, like a dragon breaking free of its shackles, lunged at Zhao Feng'an. Before he even arrived, the blade had already torn through the air, slashing towards Zhao Feng'an's head.

Zhao Feng'an let out a bird's cry, and two sharpshooters who had been lying in ambush in the trees fired several arrows, all of which Lin Chong dodged. Then, a dark cloud rolled up from the treetops, and an iron net cascaded down, enveloping Lin Chong.

Zhao Feng'an shook his head and sneered, simultaneously producing a small talisman, preparing to end Lu Zhishen's life and seize the bundle at his waist.

Before the talisman could be cast, Zhao Feng'an suddenly widened his eyes, looking strangely down at his abdomen. A dark monk's staff emerged from the white mist, its sharp crescent blade deeply embedded in Zhao Feng'an's waist, narrowly severing the martial arts master at the waist.

The thick fog dissipated at some point, wisps swirling around the staff, revealing a large hand with muscles as strong as iron. Lu Zhishen spat fiercely.

"You damned official! I saw that talisman he used very carefully! Did you think I wasn't wary at all? You were fooled by a pheasant's blood? You're making me laugh my head off!"

Blood spilled from Zhao Feng'an's mouth. Then, his body went limp as his lumbar vertebrae were severed by the crescent-shaped shovel. His broken upper body collapsed to the ground, convulsing.

Lu Zhishen, showing no remorse as a monk, tore open Zhao Feng'an's sleeve, took the remaining talismans, and stuffed them into his pocket without a second thought, laughing heartily while rubbing his bald head.

Lin Chong's body touched the iron net, and like a cat, he flipped onto it, leaping down the rope at the corner of the net into the leaves. He then saw broken branches and leaves fall one after another, and blood flowed down the tree trunks like water.

A moment later, Lin Chong leaped down from the tree carrying two severed heads. He first killed the Imperial Guard who had sealed the acupoints with a single stroke, then shouted, "Senior Brother! Let's go all the way!" and charged at the two behind him.

Lu Zhishen laughed heartily, "That's exhilarating! That's exhilarating!" He swiftly looted all of Zhao Feng'an's belongings, then followed Lin Chong to rest. (Advertisement: Still relying on your hands? How can that be satisfying? Forum reputation guaranteed! Healthy anti-premature ejaculation masturbation exerciser, real oral sex pleasure experience, hot recommendation! Maintain the feeling of ejaculation for 30 minutes, so pleasurable you'll faint. Fully automated masturbation with 12 different sexual positions and vibration frequencies. Click to enter

.) Tong Guan hid in a tree perch, watching Lu and Lin unleash their power, sweeping away the eight skilled members of the Cheng Group like a whirlwind. He was so frightened that his legs trembled, his hands clinging to the tree trunk, his crotch soaking wet.

Suddenly, a hand reached out and patted him familiarly on the shoulder. "Oh dear, isn't this Eunuch Tong? What are you doing here enjoying the cool air?"

Tong Guan turned his face, revealing a smile more like a grimace: "N-no...it's not my fault...Ah! You're not Master Cheng!"

Cheng Zongyang's face darkened. His status as a master was officially recognized, and

he couldn't shake it off even if he wanted to. Tong Guan was both surprised and delighted. After all, Master Cheng was an official of the court. Surely he wouldn't be colluding with those rebels who killed officials? With his help, his life had a 30% chance of survival...no! A 70% chance!

Tong Guan noticed two beast-like warriors crouching in the tree, one with tiger-like eyes and a leopard's head and beast's body; they were curled up on the branches, their eyes gleaming with ferocity, flanking Master Cheng like two bodyguards.

Behind Master Cheng was a beautiful young girl, wearing a dark green shirt and holding an exquisite leather wallet, leaning gracefully against the tree trunk like a flower.

Tong Guan's trousers were soaked through, and he lay motionless on the tree. His foundation was weak, and his hearing and eyesight were only at an ordinary level; he couldn't see or hear clearly what was happening in the distance. He could only force a smile and agree, "Sir, you're really skilled! Sitting so steadily on such a tall tree, you could easily catch even a martial arts champion, let alone a scholar!"

Cheng Zongyang forced a smile, "Thank you for your kind words, Eunuch Tong."

Tong Guan quickly said, "Sir, you're an official; I'm just a lowly eunuch. Just call me Xiao Guanzi."

Cheng Zongyang laughed, "Xiao Guanzi, if you stay here obediently, I'll guarantee your safety. If you say or do anything rash, haha!"

"I understand! Sir..." Tong Guan opened his mouth, still trying to flatter him, but Cheng Zongyang held up a finger, "Shh—don't say anything, just watch! This is even more exciting than I expected." Tong Guan immediately shut his mouth obediently. Cheng Zongyang asked, "Shishi, how many people have appeared?"

Li Shishi, clutching her wallet, replied, "Lu, Lin, two constables, nine from the Imperial City Guard, thirteen in total. Disregarding the two constables, six from the Imperial City Guard are dead, two are on the run, and there's this one." She gestured with her chin towards Tong Guan. Tong Guan felt a chill, as if his crotch was wet again.

Cheng Zongyang waved his hand. "Eunuch Tong is one of us."

Cheng Zongyang's tone was as casual as if he were discussing a trivial matter, yet Tong Guan, having survived the ordeal, felt a warm current flow through his heart, looking at Cheng Zongyang with the eyes of a family member.

"There shouldn't be six dead from the Imperial City Guard," Cheng Zongyang said. "The one the Flower Monk initially knocked down doesn't have concrete evidence of death, Old Beast!"

A deep roar came from under the tree, and the Green-Faced Beast lurking below responded. "Go check!"

The Green-Faced Beast immediately leaped out, searching the battlefield where the two sides had just clashed. Li Shishi thought for a moment and realized there was indeed no evidence of death. Cheng Zongyang then said, "This kind of statistical analysis must be done with utmost care; otherwise, even the slightest oversight could lead to completely wrong results."

The roar of the Blue-Faced Beast echoed from afar. Jiang Fengyan had barely managed to raise his hand and release a hidden arrow; his ribs were all broken, and he was severely injured. The Blue-Faced Beast turned its head to avoid it, then slapped him on the forehead, turning back and saying, "Dead!"

Li Shishi said, half embarrassed and half admiring, "Yes, Master, Shishi understands." Seeing the little girl's admiring gaze, Cheng Zongyang was in high spirits. He might not be good at other things, but when it came to the accuracy of judging death, probably few in the world could match him. From the moment the Flower Monk appeared until now, his Life and Death Root had clearly only sensed five streams of death energy!

Cheng Zongyang slung two sabers behind his back and said, "Old Beast and I will go into the forest to check. Old Shu, Old Leopard, you two stay outside and be careful not to give yourselves away."

Cheng Zongyang still didn't understand the so-called "laser-powered treasure saber," so to avoid any mishaps, he used two ordinary steel sabers. It seemed his title of "King of Battlefield Rags" wouldn't be gone anytime soon. Jin Wuzhu said, "I understand!" "

Eunuch Tong, and Shishi, I can't say for sure what the situation is in the forest. You two stay outside for now." Cheng Zongyang turned and said, "Old Shu, you carry them both on your back."

Jin Wuzhu stubbornly said, "I'll carry the baby!"

Cheng Zongyang asked in surprise, "Shishi, when did you and Old Shu become enemies?"

Li Shishi was also puzzled, "No."

Leopard Head said, "I know! Our tribe's beast-barbarian warriors only ride women, never letting women ride on their backs!"

Cheng Zongyang understood; this was the backbone of the beast-barbarian men, wasn't it? However, Li Shishi's cultivation level was ordinary, and these beastmen seemed to be at home in the mountains and forests, coming and going like the wind. If they hadn't been carrying Li Shishi, they would have left her behind in no time.

Cheng Zongyang was suffering from a headache when Li Shishi said with a charming smile, "Leopard Head, I bet you can't carry me."

Leopard Head immediately flew into a rage: "Ignorant human! I'll show you the strength of my tribe's beast warriors! Get on!"

Li Shishi looked at his hedgehog-like mane and shook her head, saying, "I bet you can't carry me, plus a saddle—I bet a sheep."

Leopard Head happily rubbed his fur against the tree trunk: "I bet! I bet!"

Watching Leopard Head gleefully hoist a large saddle onto his back, then have Li Shishi sit sideways on it, and then leap triumphantly from branch to branch, showing off his strength, Jin Wuzhu felt deeply ashamed of his compatriots' depravity, shaking his head and muttering, "A sheep! A sheep... at least two!"

Tong Guan tremblingly clung to Jin Wuzhu's leather armor, while Li Shishi gestured to Cheng Zongyang and smilingly lay on the saddle. The two beast warriors leaped onto the treetops one after the other, as light as if they were weightless.

He'd managed to snag this PR manager position! Cheng Zongyang was somewhat envious of her ease, but if a young girl like her could do it, and he tried to do the same, using the Blue-Faced Beast as a mount, he'd be more than just a target of ridicule.

The Blue-Faced Beast was also furious: "I'm stronger than Leopard Head! It won't take half a sheep to carry me to Lin'an!"

"Alright, old beast!" Cheng Zongyang said irritably, "Stop haggling! Leave some dignity for your beastly warriors!"

Cheng Zongyang pulled on his cloak, slid down from the tree branch like a bat, then lightly touched the branch of another large tree with his toes and leaped up. In a few bounds, his figure disappeared into the forest, leaving only a few branches still trembling.

Chapter Two:

The light in the forest grew dimmer, occasionally a ray of sunlight, like a thread, pierced through the dense foliage, illuminating the thick layer of fallen leaves. The two skilled guards of the Imperial City Guard, seeing their companion killed, knew they were outmatched and immediately abandoned their pursuit, turning and disappearing into the dense forest.

The two fled in panic, only remembering to split up once they entered the forest. One of them circled behind a tree, then leaped up, grabbing a branch. With a sharp sound, a chill ran from his back to his chest as a waist knife pinned him firmly to the tree.

Sun Tianyu, transferred from the Ministry of Justice to the Imperial City Guard, might not be as skilled in martial arts as the Imperial Guards or palace experts, but in terms of江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world) tricks, having seen countless notorious bandits, Sun Tianyu was far more experienced than his companion.

As he ran, Sun Tianyu wildly struck at the ground with the back of his knife, startling the birds and small animals roosting in the forest, who scrambled out of their nests, some flying, some fleeing.

Finally, a wild boar leaped out of the forest. Sun Tianyu immediately took off his outer garment, covered the boar with it, and then made a shallow stab to its rump.

The boar charged forward, and Sun Tianyu, holding his breath, slipped under the fallen leaves like an eel, disappearing in the blink of an eye. A moment later, Lin Chong's footsteps swept past, crunching through the fallen leaves, followed by the Flower Monk's powerful strides.

Sun Tianyu remained silent, quietly hiding under the leaves, listening to the surrounding sounds while burrowing deeper and deeper into the soil.

After a while, a strange sound came from above, as if someone was setting something up in the trees. Sun Tianyu suppressed his curiosity and waited quietly for a chance to escape.

A short while later, Lin Chong's footsteps approached, this time much slower, as if he was carefully searching for traces.

Sun Tianyu felt a bitter taste in his mouth. This Instructor Lin had been so patient, but once he couldn't hold back, he revealed his ruthless side, determined to kill everyone without leaving a single survivor.

In the Imperial City Guard's plan, Commander Zhao Feng'an personally led a team of six skilled fighters plus two sharpshooters to deal with a shackled Lin Chong—it would be a piece of cake!

Who knew that the Flower Monk would suddenly appear out of nowhere! The monk's Golden Bell Shield technique was already at its peak, his cultivation at least at the sixth level of the Netherworld Realm. Suppressing him would be no more effort than crushing an ant.

Sun Tianyu's thoughts raced, when suddenly a gust of wind blew overhead, carrying a faint scent of perfume. He stopped his descent, then squinted through the gaps in the fallen leaves above. A woman's skirt fluttered down from the treetop, landing not far from him.

Sun Tianyu's gaze slowly moved upwards, and a moonlit white glint appeared in the dim woods. A woman had appeared in the tree. She was bound behind her back with a jade-white ribbon, dangling from a slanted branch; her hands and feet were behind her back, her bent body resembling a ring, swaying gracefully in the wind.

Her long hair was styled in a low bun, common among women of the martial world, wrapped with a corner of a snow-white silk handkerchief, giving her a touch of heroic chivalry.

However, her eyes were now covered by a black veil, her ears were plugged, and her bright red lips, painted with rouge, parted, emitting seductive moans as she swayed slightly beneath the slender branches.

This alluring scene sent a chill down Sun Tianyu's spine. He held his breath and descended at an almost imperceptible speed.

The woman was oblivious to the changes around her. Her outer garment was stripped off, her skirt torn away, leaving her only in her undergarments. At the same time, all the knots and buttons on her garments were untied, draped softly over her body.

With each breath, the woman's bodice loosened further, the pale pink silk gradually drooping down, revealing the round, snow-white curves of her breasts.

Her underpants, originally tied with a soft silk sash, were now untied and draped across her waist. As the branches swayed, the sash sagged loosely around her slender waist, finally slipping down and tumbling through the air to the ground below.

The young woman leaned to one side, her loosened underpants slipping down her smooth body, revealing a section of her snow-white waist. A slightly chilly air rushed in, causing the woman to instinctively tighten her thighs, letting out a soft moan as she gasped, "Young master... stop playing... I'm wet down there again..."

Lin Chong appeared beside the tree, his bloodstained waist knife in hand. The severed iron shackles on his wrists swayed slightly, his pupils constricted. Although he didn't move, his taut muscles exuded power, like a cheetah ready to pounce at any moment. Although

the woman was blindfolded, the familiar contours of her jade-like face made him recognize her at a glance. The young woman hanging from the treetop was none other than his wife's elder sister, the wife of the chief镖头 (chief镖头) of the Weiyuan镖局 (Weiyuan镖局), the enchanting jade belt Ruan Xianglin.

"Instructor Lin, how have you been?" Lu Qian appeared high in the treetops, hands behind his back, and smiled. "Don't worry, Miss Ruan's eyes and ears are sealed. She can't hear a sound. She just thinks she's in the Grand Commandant's back garden, playing around with the young master."

Lin Chong said in a deep voice, "Lu Qian, I've known you for many years. I never expected you to be such a shameless sycophant!"

"Sycophant? Haha!" Lu Qian laughed heartily, saying, "Brother Lin, are you really that much more noble than me? You couldn't get promoted in the Imperial Guard, but the Imperial City Guard beckoned, and you eagerly went there. If you hadn't been unlucky and broken some taboo, would you have missed such an opportunity to curry favor?"

"Indeed!" Lin Chong puffed out his chest and said, "I have been an instructor for many years and also wish to obtain an official position! Not for wealth or power, but simply to live up to my training! If I could please Grand Commandant Gao, how could I not do it? But a true man should achieve merit through honesty, not through crooked means! You threaten Lin Chong with women and children, is that the behavior of a true man!"

Lu Qian said sarcastically, "Yue Fei was right, Instructor Lin is truly a hero! I'd like to ask Instructor Lin, is this Lady Ruan your wife's sister? I wonder how her body compares to your wife's?"

As he spoke, Lu Qian's foot trembled slightly, the branch bent downwards, and then sprang up, causing Ruan Xianglin's bodice to loosen and fall from her body, revealing a pair of plump, round, snow-white breasts that trembled heavily on her chest.

Her loosened underpants also slid down, exposing her smooth, flat abdomen and plump, snow-white buttocks. Her legs were tightly pressed together, her underpants hanging down below her jade-like buttocks, revealing faint dampness between them.

"Young master, my hands and feet are numb..."

Amidst Ruan Xianglin's delicate cries, Lu Qian sat on a tree branch, teasing her deep red nipples with his toe. "Lady Ruan is such a beautiful flower, yet she's stuck in that pile of cow dung that is Li Yinchen. The young magistrate took pity on her at first sight and schemed to have a good time with her… To be honest, Brother Lin, Lady Ruan is a very generous person. Since entering the Grand Commandant's mansion, she has offered herself to everyone, not only Gao Yanei, but also his sworn brothers, each getting a share of the deliciousness of Lady Ruan's body…"

Lu Qian stepped on Ruan Xianglin's snowy buttocks and laughed, "Lady Ruan is Brother Lin's sister-in-law, so you must see her often. I wonder if Brother Lin has seen Lady Ruan's buttocks? Lady Ruan's buttocks are so white and tender, just like a ripe peach; the young magistrates from various families took turns riding her, and they all said it was wonderful. Brother Lin, would you like to try?"

Lin Chong stood rooted to the spot, his sword held horizontally, staring at Lu Qian's Adam's apple, saying nothing. Lu Qian smiled, "Brother Lin, you're quite patient. You're probably waiting for the Flower Monk, aren't you?" He politely raised his hand and said, "It's still early, Brother Lin, please wait here. As for Lady Ruan… to be honest, on the way here, I was fortunate enough to be favored by Lady Ruan, which gave me some amusement. Of course, Lady Ruan probably thinks I'm one of those young masters. If you're interested, you might as well try your luck and taste Lady Ruan's freshness."

Lin Chong coldly said, "We've known each other for many years, you should know that I'm not a brave man. Such behavior will only make me look down on you."

Lu Qian laughed loudly, "Brother Lin, you think too highly of yourself! To tell you the truth, being looked down upon by you won't hurt me in the slightest!"

Lin Chong interrupted him, "Who ambushed Brother Lu? Was it the Imperial Guard or the assassins hired by Grand Commandant Gao?"

"Neither, Brother Lin, please ponder." Lu Qian smiled and said, "Brother Lin, don't you believe I've taken advantage of your wife's sister? Do you believe I know that your sister-in-law has a mole on her lower abdomen?" Lin Chong's face changed color.

Cheng Zongyang sat cross-legged on the tree, stroking his chin and muttering, "A mole down there? How come I didn't know?" The blue-faced beast lay beside him, a long spear already fitted with a spearhead on its back; to avoid the metal reflecting light, it was covered with a black cloth cover. He twitched his nostrils slightly, sniffing the scent in the wind.

Lu Qian laughed loudly, "Brother Lin, you are quite ignorant. Since I was able to bring Lady Ruan out, who is accompanying the young master now? Why don't you guess?"

Lu Qian became more and more explicit as he spoke, "When I bid farewell to the young master, my sister-in-law was also there. She was kneeling in front of the young master, carefully tasting his penis. Oh dear, I forgot to tell you, Brother Lin, my sister-in-law was naked at that time. After she licked the young master hard, she was like a courtesan in a brothel, sticking out her buttocks for the young master to ride on. When she saw me, she blushed and called me 'Uncle Lu'..."

Seeing that Lin Chong remained unmoved, Lu Qian smiled sinisterly and bent down to grab Ruan Xianglin's buttocks. "Brother Lin, do you know which of your wife's exquisite parts the young master used back then? Look closely! It's right here!" Lu Qian grabbed Ruan Xianglin's buttocks and spread them apart, revealing not a soft, luscious anus, but a brass tube about an inch thick, inserted straight between the young woman's snow-white buttocks.

The small opening was stretched into a round shape, and some kind of liquid was smeared inside, sticking wetly between the brass tube and the buttocks. The red anal flesh could be seen twitching slightly on the brass tube.

Lu Qian said smugly, "The young master forced his thing into your sister-in-law's anus right in front of me, while touching her vulva, just like this!"

Lin Chong was not a reckless person. Lu Qian's cultivation was inferior to his, yet he dared to set up an ambush here alone, firmly occupying the upper position, and repeatedly luring him to make a move. He must have a plan. Lu Zhishen had disappeared without a trace, so he must be entangled by someone. The best choice now was to turn around and leave, and join forces with his senior brother Lu to avoid being defeated one by one.

Therefore, no matter how Lu Qian provoked him, Lin Chong remained calm and observed Lu Qian's weaknesses, preparing to rescue Ruan Xianglin if the opportunity arose, otherwise he would fight again later.

But how could Lin Chong restrain himself when Lu Qian brought up his wife? He had only spoken half a sentence when Lin Chong leaped up, his waist knife striking at him like a bolt of lightning.

Seeing Lin Chong leap up with his waist knife, Lu Qian's fingers suddenly tightened, grabbing Ruan Xianglin's buttocks and forcefully pulling them apart. The brass tube inserted into the young woman's anus suddenly sprang open, and a hail of fine needles rained down on Lin Chong.

Lu Qian had a hidden trick up his sleeve, and Lin Chong was already on guard, but he never expected him to be so despicable as to set a trap on Ruan Xianglin.

Lu Qian knew Lin Chong's skills inside and out, and had carefully considered this move before executing it, choosing the timing and location with extreme precision. Lin Chong, suspended in mid-air, could neither dodge nor parry in time, leaving him no choice but to unleash his full power.

With a roar, Lin Chong slashed with his longsword, a powerful force sweeping away half of the incoming needles, while the other half embedded themselves densely in his arm.

Exhausted from his strike, Lin Chong seized the opportunity. Lu Qian, his single blade flashing like lightning, struck Lin Chong's hilt, knocking his sword from his hand. Having landed

a blow, Lu Qian immediately swooped down from the branch, his sword striking again. Lin Chong was only a few feet from the ground; the fall would be instantaneous, but that time would be enough for Lu Qian to land three blows.

Suddenly, Lin Chong's arms, studded with needles, shot out, his right hand twisting under Lu Qian's wrist, avoiding the blade, and he met Lu Qian's attack arm-to-arm.

Lu Qian's expression changed drastically. He swung his left hand backward, grabbing a tree branch and pulling himself back. His right sleeve was torn to shreds as if swept by a spiked club, and his arm was covered in blood.

Although the fine needles had struck Lin Chong, they hadn't pierced his skin. This sudden attack had backfired, leaving him vulnerable to a trap.

"Golden Bell Shield!" Lu Qian gritted his teeth. "You've practiced the Golden Bell Shield!"

Lin Chong slowly withdrew his arm, coldly replying, "Just a beginner, nothing to brag about! But as long as I'm a fraction tougher than you, Lu Qian, that's enough."

Lu Qian's face turned from white to green. Lin Chong had only just begun practicing the Golden Bell Shield; he was far from being as hard as metal, but his body was already far stronger than Lu Qian's. Lu Qian had been in a superior position, and with Ruan Xianglin as a hostage, even if Lin Chong attacked fiercely, it would take at least a hundred moves to determine a winner. The problem was that he feared Lin Chong might not die, but that the needles had been poisoned.

Now trapped in his own web, Lu Qian, though possessing the antidote, needed Lin Chong to give him time to take it. Lu Qian's mind raced. While keeping a close eye on Lin Chong, he suddenly reached out and grabbed Ruan Xianglin's underpants, forcefully ripping them off.

Ruan Xianglin screamed, her naked body spinning in the air, revealing her beautiful curves. With

her underpants torn off, she was completely naked, her mature and fair body curving like a crescent moon hanging from a treetop in the dim light, radiating a captivating yet alluring glow.

Lin Chong, having succeeded in his attack, was about to pursue when he saw Lu Qian's face contorted with rage, raising his hand to stab Ruan Xianglin. He shouted, "Stop!" and abruptly halted.

Lu Qian thrust his single blade down from behind Ruan Xianglin, about to stain her body with blood, when suddenly the blade dipped, passing precisely between her legs and stopping between her thighs, the back of the blade pressed against the soft flesh of the beautiful woman's lower body. Ruan Xianglin's lower body was surging with desire, her white thighs wet and slippery with lustful fluids. Stimulated by the cold blade, her body trembled involuntarily, and she giggled coquettishly, "Young master... be gentle..." Lin

Chong knew that although his wife's elder sister's cultivation was not top-notch, she was not a weak woman that Lu Qian could easily manipulate. She had been traveling the martial world for many years, and while plugging her ears and blindfolding her might be enough to deal with an ordinary woman, it would have little effect on the Enchanting Jade Belt.

Lu Qian had most likely used some kind of method to block her senses of sight and hearing, and even altered her sense of touch, so that she was completely unaware of the blade approaching her body, only thinking that Gao Yanei was toying with her.

Lu Qian's arm was covered in black blood. He hissed, "You, surnamed Lin! I underestimated you! Let me tell you straight, the one who intercepted the Flower Monk was a bald monk from Dafu Lingjiu Temple! You can still go and save her now! Otherwise, I'll kill her! I'll make sure you lose everything!"

Lu Qian raised his single-edged sword, the back of the blade embedding itself in the crevice between the beautiful woman's thighs, forcing

her tender flesh open. Ruan Xianglin trembled slightly, a gush of lustful fluid gushing from her vulva, which pressed against the blade, dripping down the gleaming surface. Ruan Xianglin was already in Lu Qian's hands. A direct assault would be risky; he alone couldn't guarantee her safety, and further maneuvering would only yield no advantage.

Lin Chong acted decisively, slowly retreating before leaping into the dense forest like an arrow. Lu Qian coughed up blood, his face clouded with black smoke. He tossed aside his sword, his trembling fingers parting Ruan Xianglin's buttocks, pulling out the copper tube, and then, with trembling fingers, inserting it into her anus, vigorously probing.

Her soft, red anus contorted under his fingers, Ruan Xianglin's white buttocks twisting, emitting seductive moans, her snow-white breasts trembling, her jade-like body hanging from the branches becoming increasingly alluring.

Lu Qian showed no sign of ecstasy; large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, making them appear almost black.

A curious voice asked, "Looking for what?"

Without turning his head, Lu Qian replied, "The antidote!" Then he realized what he had done and turned back in horror. Cheng Zongyang exclaimed, "Lu Yuhou, you're really creative! How did you come up with that idea to put the antidote there?"

Cheng Zongyang seemed oblivious to Lu Qian's horrified expression and said excitedly, "I know! Lu Yuhou's original plan was to use these poisoned needles to ambush Instructor Lin, then tell him the antidote was in Lady Ruan's buttocks, to see if he would look for it or not, just for fun, right? Tsk tsk, Lu Yuhou's mind is ruthless enough, but unfortunately, all his scheming backfired and ended up harming himself."

Lu Qian, like a madman, threw a punch at Cheng Zongyang. Cheng Zongyang smiled, letting the punch land on his face without even twitching an eyebrow.

"Lu Yuhou, you're so deeply poisoned, you don't even have a tenth of your strength left, yet you still recklessly use your true energy. Do you want to die too slowly?"

Lu Qian was exhausted and no longer dared to fight. He gasped, "Let...let me go...I'll do anything..."

Cheng Zongyang smiled and said, "What I want you to do is very simple: do nothing, just stay still—wait to die."

"Spare my life...I'll give you anything..."

"Lu Yuhou, you've got it wrong, haven't you?" Cheng Zongyang had no liking for this lackey and laughed, "You have nothing to give me right now."

"I'm from the Grand Commandant's mansion!" Lu Qian said urgently, "I'll tell you a huge secret! A secret I've never told anyone before!"

Cheng Zongyang's fingers tightened slightly, his face showing indifference: "What secret?"

"The Dragon-Slaying Saber! The Dragon-Slaying Saber is in the hands of Grand Commandant Gao!"

Cheng Zongyang's killing intent surged: This Gao Zhishang idiot is a real pain in the ass! He laughed loudly, "What kind of secret is this? Yue Fei was executed by Grand Commandant Gao leading his men to ransack his home. What does it matter if he secretly kept a broken sword? If Lord Lu wants to save his life, at least show some sincerity, right?"

Lu Qian's face grew increasingly dark, his tongue involuntarily slipping out of his mouth, even the coating on his tongue turned purplish-black. He said in a hoarse voice, "Save me... I'll tell you all the secrets of the Black Demon Sea..."

Cheng Zongyang was shocked: "The Black Demon Sea!"

Lu Qian nodded frantically: "I am a member of the Black Demon Sea. I can tell you many things... We kidnapped someone, someone... She has a very, very big secret, a secret concerning the survival of the Song Dynasty..."

"Wait!" Cheng Zongyang's heart pounded wildly. He realized that the secret he was about to hear was probably no less shocking than Gao Qiu's true identity, but in his heart there was something more important than this secret.

He stared into Lu Qian's eyes and said, "Tell me Jian Yuji's background first! How did she escape from Yue Pengju's clutches?"

"Okay!" Lu Qian said desperately, "Jian Yuji is the leader of the outer hall. The expansion of the Black Demon Sea... was all arranged by her..."

Lu Qian's words became increasingly sluggish. Suddenly, his lips twitched, and saliva uncontrollably flowed from his mouth. His tongue protruded halfway out and hung limply.

"Damn it!"

Cheng Zongyang grabbed the jade belt suspending Ruan Xianglin and dragged her to a tree. He reached between her buttocks and inserted his fingers into her anus.

Ruan Xianglin's buttocks were plump and smooth, and her anus was soft, like a fleshy hoop. When his fingers reached the end, he could feel a hard object sliding inside her. It wasn't so easy to pull it out.

Cheng Zongyang struggled to probe Ruan Xianglin's anus. Ruan Xianglin, whose senses were blocked, thought she was being anally raped by the young master and writhed her buttocks back and forth in response.

Before him lay a valley of snow-white skin, alluring and captivating, yet Cheng Zongyang felt no desire for anything more. He only wished she would behave and stop wriggling her hips.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his temple, like being pricked by a needle. Cheng Zongyang stopped, his face grim. The deathly aura was so close, its impact incredibly strong; he could even feel the intense fear, resentment, and bitterness of the deceased before their death.

Cheng Zongyang pressed his temple, waiting for the deathly aura to be absorbed by the Life and Death Root, the nausea and bloating in his chest gradually subsiding.

He turned his head; Lu Qian beside him was deathly pale, slumped against a tree, a strange smile on his face, already lifeless. "

You damn dog! Why did you use such potent poison? I couldn't even save you in time!" Cheng Zongyang cursed inwardly, pulling out his finger and wiping it on the beautiful woman's buttocks.

Ruan Xianglin lay on his lap, her jade-like body writhing like a snake, her full, snowy buttocks swaying from side to side, seemingly searching for his fingers. She said in a soft voice, "Young Master... my lower body feels so empty..."

Cheng Zongyang looked at her for a moment, then picked up a piece of underpants hanging from a branch and stuffed it into her mouth. He then lifted her up by the waist, draped her under his cloak, and zipped it up.

The young woman's fair skin was obscured by the cloak, and the forest returned to its gloom.

In the distance, among the pine trees, Jin Wuzhu's beast-like body resembled a lithe cheetah, curled up on a pine branch, his golden pupils narrowed to slits. Tong Guan clung tightly to his leather armor, his small face deathly pale with fear. Li Shishi sat sideways on the leopard's back, quietly holding her breath, watching a group of monks pass through the forest.

Chapter Three

"May Buddha have mercy..."

"May Buddha have mercy."

"May Buddha have mercy!"

Lu Zhishen stopped in his tracks, his monk's robe hanging halfway down, tattered and tucked into his waistband, his bare upper body resembling a gilded iron tower, his skin covered with continuous floral tattoos.

With several chants of Buddhist hymns, more than ten monks dressed in white robes appeared one after another from the forest. They chanted the hymns in varying voices, some loud, some soft, some fast, some slow, then raised their right hands and solemnly drew a swastika on their chests.

Lu Zhishen, his expression a mixture of anger and helplessness, pointed at the monks and said, "You lot... oh dear, you're driving me crazy!"

The leader, Jingnian, meticulously finished drawing the last stroke of the swastika, then looked up: "Flowery Monk, everything in this world has a cause and effect. Even if you could transform into a mustard seed and hide in the vast world, how could you escape cause and effect?"

Lu Zhishen, carrying his staff, said, "Enough, enough! Your words give me an unbearable headache. Jingnian, when my master passed on his robe and bowl to me, you were there. It was truly my master who personally passed the robe and bowl to me. Why are you still relentlessly pursuing this matter to this day?"

Jingnian said, "The robe and bowl originally belonged to the Second Master."

Lu Zhishen's eyes widened: "My master personally handed them to me! Who dares to say otherwise!"

“It is true that what Brother Zhishen received was passed down from the former abbot, Master Zhizhen, but those robes and bowls originally belonged to the first abbot, and Master Zhizhen only kept them safe. Now that the second abbot has been enthroned in the temple, even if Master Zhizhen were still alive, the robes and bowls should be handed over to the second abbot.”

Lu Zhishen snorted, "Brother Juqu, if you want Master's mantle, you should come to me yourself. What makes you think you can ask?"

"Amitabha," Jingnian said, "The Second Master is the reincarnation of Master Bu Shi, a man of noble status. It is only right that we uphold the Holy Teachings and serve the Master."

Lu Zhishen patted his waist, declaring with boundless pride, "The mantle is right here! I will not give it to you!"

"Excellent, excellent," Jingnian said. "The Buddha said, 'You must not covet other people's possessions,' but Brother Lu's actions have violated this precept against greed."

Lu Zhishen strode forward, carrying his staff, saying as he walked, "I have other things to do! If you want to talk to me about Buddhism, wait until I've cleansed my ears another day."

Jingnian flashed in front of Lu Zhishen, blocking his way, and said firmly, "Brother Lu, the Western Paradise is near; you should repent!"

Lu Zhishen glared at him angrily, then suddenly burst into laughter, "You bald monks! You've been talking and all you want to do is fight, yet you've been gossiping with me all this time!"

A monk nearby couldn't contain himself and shouted, "Flowery Monk! You dare insult my Buddhist disciples; be careful you don't end up in the Tongue-Pulling Hell!"

"Enough with the nonsense!" Lu Zhishen swept his staff across, and the fallen leaves on the ground were swept up by the whirlwind, rushing towards the monks.

The monks chanted in unison. Jingnian snapped his fingers, drawing a swastika on his chest, and proclaimed, "Buddha, Holy Spirit! Holy Light Palm!"

With a single strike, a whirlwind of fallen leaves, gathered in the distance, seemed to crash into an insurmountable dam just three feet in front of him, shattering countless leaves with a deafening roar.

Lu Zhishen staggered back half a step, a flash of crimson crossing his rugged face. He laughed heartily, "What a magnificent Holy Light Palm! Little monk Jingnian, it's been years! Your cultivation has already reached the sixth level of the Profound Realm! I underestimated you!"

A monk shouted, "Master Jingnian is a newly appointed Red-robed virtuous monk of the Ten Directions Forest! It's just that the Master is humble, hence he wears a white robe!"

"Great Virtuous One in Red Robes! Impressive!" Lu Zhishen said, "But to defeat me, I'm afraid it won't be easy! Come, come! Try my staff again!"

Jingnian put his palms together and said, "Amitabha, it is already wrong for a monk to harbor anger, let alone be fond of fighting. But since my senior brother refuses to return the robe and bowl, I have no choice but to demand it by force."

As he spoke, he raised his head: "This contest between me and Senior Brother Lu is out of necessity. It is only to determine the winner, not to decide life

or death." Lu Zhishen chuckled: "You are a few years younger than me, how can you be so pedantic? If we only stop when we've touched the target, the fight will be too restrained and unpleasant. Even if we fight until dawn, we may not be able to determine a winner. Let's fight freely!"

“Of course I won’t fight with you until tomorrow,” Jingnian said firmly. “This humble monk will settle the score with Senior Brother Lu through a series of moves.”

Lu Zhishen scratched his head. “How many moves?”

Jingnian raised his right hand, then bent his thumb, his eyes radiating confidence. “Four moves!” Lu Zhishen was taken aback, then burst into laughter.

“I’ve been away from the temple for many years, and people are looking down on me! Even Senior Brother Juqu wouldn’t dare to boast like that! Little monk Jingnian, my Twenty-Four Styles of Subduing Demons Staff Technique can flatten you with just a fraction of it!” Jingnian flicked his sleeve. “Senior Brother Lu, please!” Lu Zhishen didn’t waste any words and shouted, “Behold my first move! Heaven and Earth Profound Yellow!” With a roar, Lu Zhishen’s iron staff spun above his head, stirring up two completely different streams of air. Then, with a boom, a shadow flew out of the staff, slashing towards Jingnian like an angry dragon. Jingnian opened his arms and raised his palms, saying, "In the name of Buddha—join!" As he clasped his hands together, his wide monk's sleeves billowed, like two white sails suddenly unfurling. The surrounding trees were drawn by the force of his palm strike; more than ten large trees simultaneously bent inwards, their branches and leaves fluttering down, as if bowing to his palm.

Lu Zhishen's surging staff shadow fell into Jingnian's palm and vanished without a trace, not even causing his robes to sway.

"Good!" Lu Zhishen laughed loudly, "Little monk Jingnian, your Holy Light Palm technique is only eight or nine-tenths complete, but your Heaven and Earth Union technique is over ten percent complete! Could it be that you've only practiced this one move all these years?"

"Amitabha. The Holy Light Palm is a unique skill created by our temple's first master after twenty years of painstaking effort. Its divine power is unparalleled. What I've practiced is merely the tip of the iceberg."

"Stop bragging!" Lu Zhishen shouted, "Watch my second move!"

Lu Zhishen raised his staff diagonally and shouted, "Sun—" The staff trembled slightly, the round sun wheel sank slightly, and the surface of the wheel shone with a dazzling light like the sun.

"Moon—" The crescent moon at the other end of the staff emitted a shadow like the moon's head.

Lu Zhishen held the staff horizontally in front of his chest, his beard puffed up like a hedgehog, and then his tongue roared like thunder: "Wheel—"

The sun wheel and the moon shadow at both ends of the staff rose up at the same time, the light so bright that people couldn't even open their eyes. "Return!"

A thunderous roar echoed through the air, as if two suns and moons were simultaneously crushing across the earth, assaulting Jingnian with boundless power. The entire Wild Boar Forest seemed to be oppressed by an invisible force, the branches of the trees bending downwards.

The powerful aura caused the monks to pale in shock; no one had expected that Lu Zhishen could actually master the supreme staff technique of the Ten Directions Forest.

The Subduing Demon Staff Technique was one of the Ten Directions Forest's ultimate skills. Named for subduing demons, it didn't subdue evil spirits, but rather the inner demons. If the inner demons weren't eliminated, even the deepest cultivation would be difficult to master. Therefore, those who mastered the Subduing Demon Staff Technique were all highly accomplished monks with profound Buddhist knowledge.

Lu Zhishen was clearly a frivolous monk who loved wine and meat, spoke without restraint, and disregarded the precepts. How could he have mastered the Subduing Demon Staff Technique?

Despite their astonishment, the Subduing Demon Staff Technique that Lu Zhishen displayed was not an illusion.

Many monks, their faces pale, involuntarily raised their hands, attempting to combine their strength to resist his awe-inspiring Sun and Moon Reincarnation technique.

Jingnian gently clasped his hands together and chanted, "Holiness belongs to the Buddha, glory belongs to the great master of this world, may the Buddha's holy light shine upon all beings!" He opened his eyes, "Holy Light Zen Palm! Divine Revelation!"

A point of light emanated from Jingnian's palm, spinning and rapidly growing larger. Upon closer inspection, it was a constantly rotating swastika, radiating a holy white light. Jingnian

struck out with his palm, the sacred runes rushing towards the sun and moon wheels of the Subduing Demon Staff Technique. In an instant, the entire world seemed to lose its color, turning into a hazy gray. All sounds and breaths vanished in that instant.

How long it was, seemingly a fleeting moment, yet also as long as an eternity, was shattered by a Buddhist chant.

"Namo Amitabha Buddha—" With this chant, various colors, sounds, and smells rushed in, instantly filling everyone's senses.

Lu Zhishen's face was solemn. The iron staff, forged from fine steel, now vibrated slightly in his palm like a string, each vibration consuming his true energy.

Jingnian was also in bad shape; his right sleeve was torn, revealing his thin, bony arm.

A moment later, Lu Zhishen took a deep breath, golden light emanating from the patterns covering his body, finally converging on his strong, upright back, flowing along the tattoo lines and across his taut muscles.

Lu Zhishen had already suffered a hidden injury from this move, but fortunately, his Golden Bell Shield had a strong healing effect on Buddhist martial arts; once his true energy circulated, he forcibly suppressed the injury.

"Well done!" Lu Zhishen shouted, brandishing his staff, "Take this move, 'Weituo Exorcising Evil'!"

Lu Zhishen roared "Weituo Exorcising Evil," and swung his staff, using the thirteenth move of the Subduing Demon Staff Technique: Earth and Thunder! Lu Zhishen had already suffered a hidden injury from the first move, and the second move, Jingnian's Divine Revelation, was even more effective at countering his own Sun and Moon Reincarnation technique, making his injury even more severe than the first.

However, Lu Zhishen's disadvantage was not due to a lack of skill, because that move, Divine Revelation, was not the ultimate technique of the Holy Light Palm at all; it was not that the power was insufficient, but that this move had a fatal flaw—it required the gathering of true energy before it could be activated, and then combined with Buddhist incantations to achieve its maximum effect.

In the face of an enemy, anything can happen. Unless Jingnian could foresee the future and gather his true energy beforehand to unleash the Buddhist mantra, using this "divine revelation" to break his own cycle of reincarnation, Jingnian could not have done so.

Lu Zhishen was not one to follow the rules blindly. Although he didn't know how Jingnian had guessed that his second move would be the cycle of reincarnation, he cautiously used deception in his third move.

As the monk's staff swung out, the wind and thunder in the forest shook violently. But Jingnian seemed to have anticipated this move. He formed a hand seal with his left hand, flicked a small, crystalline bead with his right finger, and then pushed out with his palm.

The churning wind and thunder surged wildly towards the bead like a vortex, but Jingnian's palm passed through the staff's shadow without incident, landing flatly on Lu Zhishen's chest.

Lu Zhishen's chest muscles caved in, his ribs cracked, and he staggered back two steps, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Despite his severe injuries, Lu Zhishen's towering body remained ramrod straight. He spat out a mouthful of blood and looked at the bead.

The bead fell to the ground with a plop, its crystalline surface turning milky white as if veiled in mist. Lu Zhishen said in a deep voice, "Little monk, who taught you that!"

Jing Nian clasped his hands together and chanted a Buddhist prayer, then said, "I heard that when Senior Brother Lu appeared in Lin'an, the Second Master issued a decree ordering this humble monk to retrieve the robe and bowl of the First Master, and also to pass on this Wind-Fixing Pearl."

Lu Zhishen laughed heartily, "Senior Brother Juqu, even from thousands of miles away half a month ago, could foresee that I would fight you today and use this Earth Wind and Thunder move? Do you think I believe it or not?"

"Amitabha." Jing Nian raised his head, "Not only this Earth Wind and Thunder move, but Senior Brother Lu's first move, Heaven and Earth Profound Yellow, and the second move, Sun and Moon Reincarnation, were all predicted by the Second Master."

Chanting the Buddhist prayer, the scene of Senior Brother Juqu personally passing on the moves that day was vividly before Jing Nian's eyes, and even every word he said still lingered in his ears.

'Junior Brother Lu is a once-in-a-century genius of our Lingjing Temple. Apart from a few senior uncles and elders in seclusion, no one else in the temple can handle him.' "Although you are an outstanding talent of this temple, you are still quite far behind him. If he goes all out, no matter how I teach you, you will surely be defeated."

The Second Master smiled gently: "However, this is precisely your opportunity." As he spoke, the Second Master gestured with his hands. With the flowing sleeves of his robes, the exquisite moves of the Holy Light Zen Palm were executed effortlessly. Although no internal force was used, the fallen leaves in the courtyard were inexplicably drawn, swirling like the wind and flying everywhere.

"Junior Brother Lu will be careless when he sees that his opponent is you. Given his nature, he will not go all out against a junior. Therefore, he used about half his strength in the first two moves. The moves he used were nothing more than the Heaven and Earth Profound Yellow, Sun and Moon Reincarnation, and Mortal Annihilation of the Demon Subduing Staff Technique, which were terrifying in appearance but had limited killing intent. What you need to do is to use the Holy Light Zen Palm to blunt his arrogance."

Jing Nian remembered that he couldn't help but say at the time: "How can Senior Brother Lu, a dullard, master the Demon Subduing Staff Technique?" The Second Master remained silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Of the five hundred disciples of my Dafu Lingjiu Temple, Master Zhizhen chose to bestow his mantle upon a dullard. What is the reason for this?"

"This disciple does not know."

The Second Master sighed, "The Flower Monk's recklessness is only due to his sincerity. Sincerity is the understanding of one's true nature. What he understands is the Bodhi mind.

" Jingnian was deeply moved and clasped his hands together, saying, "Amitabha."

The Second Master changed the subject, "Brother Lu's recklessness is only due to his sincerity, but he is quite resourceful at crucial moments. If not for that, he might not have been able to escape from Dafu Lingjiu Temple that day. Therefore, Brother Lu's arrogance was thwarted, and in order to test him, he would definitely use trickery. No matter what he shouted, he would only use the 'Earth and Thunder' move, because this move is not very lethal and he can stop himself at the crucial moment; in order to avoid harming anyone, he will not use his full strength in this move, at most... using seventy percent of his strength." "You mustn't fight him head-on. Use the temple's most precious treasure, the Wind-Fixing Pearl, to break his Earth Wind and Thunder and Qi Gate."

After instructing the Second Master on the Holy Light Palm, he looked up with his hands behind his back, watching the falling leaves, and said earnestly, "With his Qi Gate injured, Junior Brother Lu will be powerless to fight with all his might. If you master the 'Buddha Saves All Beings' move, you should be able to defeat him easily with the fourth move. Just be careful that he doesn't lose the fight and turns to flee. It will be much harder to capture him then... Heaven cherishes life, so you must not harm him. Apart from these..."

"Please instruct me, Master."

"With the strategy I teach you, capturing Junior Brother Lu will not be difficult, but the battlefield is ever-changing. Techniques and tactics are fixed. If there are any unexpected changes, you must be very careful. Well done!"

The Second Master was incredibly insightful, and his martial arts and wisdom were profound and vast, earning everyone's sincere admiration. Seeing his predictions come true one by one, Jingnian, though outwardly calm, couldn't contain his inner elation. He stepped forward and said, "Master Ershi has the wisdom to rely on. Senior brother, are you still not convinced?"

The monks chanted in unison, "Amitabha! Master Ershi is the reincarnation of Buddha, his mind is like a clear mirror, his body like Bodhi, he can know the past and the future..."

Lu Zhishen laughed loudly, "Did you think I was so easily fooled!"

Jingnian said, "Senior brother, the outcome is decided. Please hand over your mantle."

Lu Zhishen let out a long roar, his voice echoing through the forest, "We agreed on four moves, and there's one last move! Little monk, let me see what other tricks you have up your sleeve!"

"May Buddha have mercy," Jingnian chanted a Buddhist prayer, then strode forward.

In terms of cultivation, Jingnian was inferior to Lu Zhishen, but his three moves were the nemesis of Lu Zhishen's techniques.

Having been wounded three times in succession, Lu Zhishen's injuries worsened with each strike, eventually damaging his vital energy. Although his Golden Bell Shield was forcibly suppressing the attack, Jing Nian's next strike was bound to be thunderous and powerful. Once the protective Golden Bell Shield was breached, even if he survived, his cultivation would be severely diminished.

White steam rose from Lu Zhishen's bald head, and the golden light of his tattoos shone even brighter. It was clear to everyone that this battle would not determine victory or defeat, but life or death.

A trace of pity appeared in Jing Nian's expression, but his strong sense of mission to reclaim his mantle made him show no mercy. He raised his palm and shouted, "Holy Light Zen Palm! Buddha Saves All Beings!"

"The Milky Way Turns!" With a long shout, Lin Chong's waist saber slashed towards Jing Nian like a rainbow. Both Lin and Lu were highly skilled fighters. Lin Chong's strike came precisely when Jing Nian's palm strike was about to be unleashed, its wild and unrestrained momentum forcing him to retaliate.

With a flick of his sleeve, the monk Jingnian deftly and skillfully slashed out with his palm, gently pressing it against Lin Chong's blade, deflecting the attack, and then stepped back.

Lin Chong also retreated, stroking his blade with one hand, thinking to himself: If I had the Dragon-Slaying Saber, this strike would have severed half of that monk's hand.

A fierce battle ensued, sending branches and leaves flying through the forest. The surrounding trees were whipped by the strong winds, new leaves falling in a rustling sound, countless branches breaking and fluttering down, scattered by the force of the three men's energy.

Dozens of paces away in the forest, a pair of peach-blossom eyes watched the battle with a hint of a smile. Ximen Qing had arrived at Wild Boar Forest earlier than Lin Chong and the others. The fighting between Dong and Xue, the appearance of the Flower Monk, the defeat of the Imperial Guard, Lu Qian's tampering with Ruan Xianglin… all were observed by his peach-blossom eyes. But the great Ximen Qing maintained sufficient patience, quietly waiting for his opportunity.

Although Lu Qian's actions at the Grand Commandant's mansion were inconspicuous, they would inevitably reveal flaws to those with ulterior motives. Jian Yuji had already decided to sacrifice this pawn to eliminate future troubles.

Ximen Qing thought: If Lu Qian reaped what he sowed and died from the poisoned needle, it would save me some trouble. Even if he took the antidote and survived, eliminating him would be a matter of moments. Ximen Qing had only one goal for this trip to Wild Boar Forest: Lin Chong. Therefore, as soon as Lin Chong left, Ximen Qing secretly followed, missing his meeting with his old friend Cheng Zongyang.

Ximen Qing had been calculating all along. The appearance of the Ten Directions Forest was within Jian Yuji's calculations. If he were to ambush them halfway, firstly, taking Lin Chong's life would require considerable effort, and secondly, it would only help those bald monks. It would be better to let them fight it out and reap the benefits himself.

With this thought in mind, Ximen Qing chased after them all the way to the edge of the arena where the Flower Monk and the group of monks were fighting fiercely. In the distance, he could see several small bald heads fighting fiercely around a large bald head amidst the falling leaves. He suddenly stopped, and like a falling leaf, he swayed gently and hung on a branch.

Lin Chong stood side by side with Lu Zhishen and said loudly, "Master, you are a highly virtuous monk. May I ask what wrong Brother Lu has done to warrant such a great fight among you monks?"

"Amitabha," Jingnian said gently, "This is a matter of our temple and has nothing to do with you, benefactor." Another monk said aggressively, "Our Dafu Lingjiu Temple is the leader of the ten directions of Buddhist monasteries and the universally recognized leader of the righteous path! You are an enemy of our Dafu Lingjiu Temple, could you be some kind of evil heretic?" Jingnian said, "Huian, do not speak recklessly."

He clasped his hands together and bowed to Lin Chong, "Our temple has no intention of being an enemy of you, benefactor. It's just that Brother Lu has some minor matters with our temple that need to be clarified."

Suddenly a cold voice said, "You are of the Jing generation, and he is of the Zhi generation. Is the rule of Dafu Temple so chaotic?"

Everyone looked up and saw a tall woman standing in the tree. She wore a nun's hat and a black robe, with a string of prayer beads hanging in front of her chest. Her expression was cold, but she was a beautiful nun. Hearing the young nun's question, Lu Zhishen was immediately displeased. "My Dharma name is Zhishen, and my master's Dharma name is Zhizhen! We both belong to the Zhi generation, who dares to say that the abbot isn't my master!"

Jingnian remained calm and bowed, saying, "Amitabha, so you are from the same Buddhist lineage. You may not know, but not only you and I, Buddhist disciples, but all sentient beings in the world bear the burden of sins. It is only through the Buddha's great wisdom and supernatural powers that we are transformed into human beings. Therefore, the Buddha said: 'All sentient beings are equal.' By this logic, whether it is master and disciple, colleagues, father and son, mother and daughter, all are equal under the Buddha. As a Buddhist disciple, you are attached to appearances when you use external Dharma names to rank people and follow rules."

The young nun sneered disdainfully, "Here comes another argument about original sin, arbitrarily changing the Buddha's original intention, and you dare to discuss Buddhism?" Jingnian's expression hardened. "The core tenets of our Buddhist teachings were personally transmitted by the First Master. You, nun, are speaking recklessly and risk being led astray into heresy

," the young nun said coldly. "Your Dafu Lingjiu Temple has usurped the orthodox path of Buddhism, labeling anything different as heresy and eagerly seeking to eliminate it, its poison still lingers. The chosen successor of the First Master after his death has yet to be found. Let's see how long Dafu Lingjiu Temple can remain arrogant!"

"Excellent!" Jingnian shouted, quickly drawing a swastika on her chest. Her previous kind expression had transformed into a wrathful one. "Truly, remnants of heresy!"

"It's just drawing a swastika? I can do that too!"

The young nun raised her jade-like finger and drew a swastika on her chest as well. The monks below erupted in an uproar. "She used two fingers!"

"From left to right!"

"It's sinister! Only remnants of sinister heresy would draw it this evil way!"

Lin Chong and Lu Zhishen exchanged bewildered glances. The moment the young nun appeared, the monks forgot all about their ancestral robes and bowls, staring intently at her as if she were some kind of demon or monster.

Seeing Lin Chong's questioning gaze, Lu Zhishen scratched his bald head with some shame.

"I'm a latecomer to the monastic life, and ever since entering the temple, I've been impatient with all that left and right talk, not knowing which side is the true lineage,"

Jingnian said in a deep voice. "Amitabha! Since the nun is from a treacherous lineage, this humble monk must uphold justice for Buddha, slaying demons and eliminating evil!"

Jingnian flipped his left hand, taking out a four-sided ringed staff from behind his back and planting it in the ground. Then, he held a hand to his chest and said in a deep voice, "May the Buddha's merciful holy light protect this disciple! May it eliminate the heretics who distort Buddha's true intentions, and sweep away evil spirits—Great Compassionate Heavenly Dragon!"

The staff in Jingnian's hand seemed to roar, and the air seemed to be cleaved by an invisible sword, producing a sharp sound.

The tree upon which the little nun stood trembled violently, its trunk splitting in two. The force of the energy, like an enraged dragon, surged upwards, its claws outstretched.

The prayer beads before her suddenly scattered, like a string of shooting stars striking Jingnian's Great Compassion Dragon.

Her strength was slightly inferior; the sandalwood prayer beads, as if struck by a bronze bell, resonated with a metallic clang, and were scattered wildly by Jingnian's Great Compassion Dragon.

Just as Jingnian's Great Compassion Dragon was about to bind the little nun, a monk's staff flashed out horizontally, its crescent-shaped light illuminating the moment, cleaving Jingnian's powerful true energy in two.

Jingnian gripped his staff and shouted, "Brother Lu! Are you colluding with heretics?" Lu Zhishen's monk's robe was half-undone, revealing one shoulder and chest. Holding his staff, he roared, "I don't care about your righteous or heretical paths! A bunch of bald men bullying this little nun, I just can't stand by and watch!"

Jingnian took a deep breath, his monk's robe billowing, making his thin figure seem taller. Then he swung his staff at Lu Zhishen.

Lin Chong's sword moved with him, blocking the staff. The monks of Dafu Lingjiu Temple attacked simultaneously, surrounding the two. The little nun waved her hand, and the scattered prayer beads flew back and formed a string. She had instigated the fight but seemed unwilling to intervene, only coldly observing from the tree.

Lin Chong and Lu Zhishen had sparred for many days and knew each other's strengths and weaknesses intimately. Although this was their first time fighting together, it felt as if they had been training together for many years, extremely familiar with each other.

Among the monks who rushed from Dafu Lingjiu Temple, the newly appointed Red-robed Master Jingnian of the Ten Directions Monastery stood out. The other monks' cultivation levels varied, and their coordination was far less refined than that of Lin Chong and Lu Zhishen. Although they outnumbered Lin Chong, they gradually fell into a disadvantageous position. Lin Chong was skilled in horsemanship and renowned for his spear and staff techniques, but coming from a family of imperial guards, his swordsmanship was also quite impressive. His long

staff complemented Lu Zhishen's short staff perfectly. In less than the time it takes to eat a meal, three disciples of Dafu Lingjiu Temple had either been injured or had their acupoints sealed, forcing them to withdraw from the battle.

Lu Zhishen's staff flew, seemingly imposing, but Lin Chong grew increasingly uneasy. Lu Zhishen had been injured three times in his fight with Jingnian. Although he suppressed his injuries with his Golden Bell Shield, he was already at his limit. If he continued, his injuries would worsen, and once the Golden Bell Shield was broken, the situation would be difficult to manage.

Suddenly, the young nun flicked her slender finger, and a rosary bead flew out, grazing Lu Zhishen's armpit and disappearing into the mouth of a cursing monk.

The monk's neck snapped, his broken cervical bone protruding sharply backward, killing him instantly. All the monks paled, even Lu Zhishen's eyes widened.

Although the two sides were enemies, the Flower Monk, mindful of their shared temple affiliation, had been very restrained in his attacks, only injuring the monks he had knocked down, and even then, the injuries were not serious. He hadn't expected this young nun to be so ruthless, taking lives with a single strike.

Lin Chong seized the opportunity, grabbed Lu Zhishen, and used his agility to dash away through the trees.

"Amitabha!" Jingnian exclaimed, "You heretics! You've added to your killing karma!" The little nun retorted, "Killing those who betray Buddhism in the Ten Directions Forest is an act of supreme merit!" With that, she stretched out her jade-like hand, retrieved her prayer beads, and then nimbly leaped several feet like a cat, grabbing a sapling and swinging, disappearing into the foliage in the blink of an eye.

The monks of Dafu Lingjiu Temple looked sorrowful, collectively drawing a swastika on their chests to mourn their fallen companion. Then, they carried their wounded companion and chased after the heretical little nun.

The chaotic footsteps gradually faded into the distance, and Wild Boar Forest fell silent.

Ximen Qing stared at the little nun's retreating figure, a sly smile playing on his lips. The little nun parted ways with Lin Chong and Lu Zhishen. The monks of Dafu Lingjiu Temple went to pursue the remnants of the heretics in the Ten Directions Forest. Now that Lu Zhishen was seriously injured, only Lin Chong remained, presenting an opportunity to strike.

Ximen Qing lowered his hand, and a large red folding fan, sprinkled with gold, slid from his sleeve and landed in his palm. He was about to leap after him when he suddenly turned back, looking at a large tree behind him.

Amidst the swaying branches, a middle-aged scholar stood elegantly on a branch. He stood with his hands behind his back, his long beard fluttering slightly in the wind, his demeanor serene and composed, as if he had been waiting in the tree for a long time.

Ximen Qing's slightly pale face shifted several times, finally snapping open the folding fan and gently waving it in front of him, smiling slightly, "So it's Mr. Qin."

Qin Hui, with his hands behind his back, said, "Master Ximen, instead of making your fortune in Wuyuan City, why are you in the mood to come to Lin'an?"

A captivating smile appeared in Ximen Qing's alluring eyes. "Lin'an has a large and diverse population, and my herbal medicine shop is doing quite well… But Mr. Qin, you've traveled a long way to Lin'an City, perhaps to prepare for the imperial examination?"

Qin Hui laughed, "That's exactly what I was thinking."

With that, Qin Hui took a step forward. He was clearly already standing on the branch, and this step should have landed in empty space, yet his footing was slightly heavy, and he leaped two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) through the air, appearing right in front of Ximen Qing.

A long, slender finger of Qin Hui seemed to fly out from thin air, ripples spreading across the transparent air beneath it. In an instant, the Demon-Slaying Finger was unleashed at full power, attacking Ximen Qing's heart meridian.

A hint of panic appeared on Ximen Qing's handsome face. He seemed to lose his composure under Qin Hui's sudden and fierce attack. In his haste, he waved his folding fan, barely managing to block two of Qin Hui's fingers. Then, his foot slipped, as if he had stepped into thin air, and he was about to fall from the branch.

Qin Hui abruptly withdrew his finger, took a step back with his hands behind his back, and sneered, "My lord, you haven't changed your ways. Even in haste, you haven't forgotten to scheme. Be careful not to overcomplicate things and end up losing your life."

Ximen Qing laughed heartily, "I'm sorry to have made you laugh at my little quirk." He straightened up, revealing a strange weapon in his left hand, a steel umbrella-like weapon that was now just a skeleton. He smiled and said, "The Demon-Shocking Finger is one of the most powerful techniques in the Poison Sect. It would be disrespectful to fight empty-handed. This is the Heavenly Demon Umbrella that I just made. Please give me your guidance, Brother Qin."

The Heavenly Demon Umbrella had no canopy. The exposed skeleton was made of the bones of some strange beast, and was the color of white jade. The skeleton was strung together with extremely fine gold threads, the twists and turns were strange and inexplicable, like a string of continuous runes, occasionally flickering with phosphorescent light. Qin Hui casually wiped his fingers. "It's fine if you use something else, sir, but this Heavenly Demon Umbrella violates the taboo of my finger technique. Be careful that your corpse may not be able to return home and end up here, keeping company with insects,"

Ximen Qing said. "Brother Qin, you overestimate yourself. Try my Heavenly Demon Umbrella and see if your Demon-Shocking Finger can shake it!"

Ximen Qing raised his left hand, and the ribs of the foot-long Heavenly Demon Umbrella opened. Countless ghost flames danced among the golden runes and white bones, forming a bizarre umbrella surface that swept towards Qin Hui.

The fight between the two elite disciples of the Black Demon Sea Witch Sect and the Poison Sect was completely different from the previous contest between the two groups from Dafu Lingjiu Temple. The martial arts of Dafu Lingjiu Temple were expansive and powerful, with every move upright and honorable.

The duel between Qin Hui and Ximen Qing, though confined to a small area, was incredibly cunning and unpredictable. The two stood on the same tree branch, barely inches apart, their exchange limited to a radius of less than ten feet. Yet, the deadly cruelty and ruthlessness in their moves left the Dafu Lingjiu Temple utterly astonished. Beyond its captivating spectacle, it also instilled a chilling sense of dread.

[Last edited by vincci on 2-9 15:19]

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