A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 173 Gu Xu Appears
"Brother, this person's martial arts don't seem to belong to any particular school; instead, they resemble foreign martial arts. This red true energy initially appears to be the Bloodthirsty Demon Art, but something else is amiss."

"That's the kung fu of a Buddhist sect from another region. I never imagined that this person not only has the inheritance of Daoist Huoyang, but also has some connection with the Buddhist sect from another region. He really has a lot of backgrounds."

Master Fire Crow reached out and opened the wooden box, eagerly taking out the Blood Ruyi. After examining it closely, he became completely captivated.

"It truly is a treasure. No wonder those monks wanted it so much. But once it's in my hands, there's no reason for me to hand it over."

After carefully putting away the Blood Ruyi, Master Fire Crow was very satisfied and said loudly to Yin Hao and the other man, "Master Yin, until we meet again."

With that, he flicked his whisk, and the blood spirit array on the ground immediately dissipated. His figure flashed, and he quickly headed towards the interior of Tianqin Mountain.

"Second brother, go and rescue Tianqi and the other two. I need to go and see that Fire Crow Taoist."

After a thorough investigation, Yin Hao realized that the other party had not done anything wrong, so he felt relieved and allowed Yin Jun to rescue the person. He then quickly pursued the Fire Crow Master and was determined to find out who was behind him.

Master Fire Crow was overjoyed to obtain the Blood Ruyi. This treasure was enough to advance his Blood Devouring Divine Skill to another level. When he could devour those who cultivated this skill, he would no longer have to be subservient to others.

"Baochan Temple, humph, you have ulterior motives. You made me do your work, but you want to reap the benefits without lifting a finger. If I didn't know some secrets, I would have really been fooled by you."

"I don't have time to bother you now, but once I've mastered this divine skill, you'll all be sent to hell. What are Baochan Temple and Yujian Manor? They're all utterly useless."

The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. Knowing that Yin Hao would definitely come to pursue him, Master Fire Crow had a sudden thought and immediately took out the "Fire Crow Pot". With a burst of true energy, the remaining dozens of fire crows quickly filled the path behind him. Seeing this, Master Fire Crow smiled triumphantly and turned to fly forward.

Yin Hao, who was chasing from behind, was moving at great speed. When he saw the strange red cloud in front of him, he immediately stopped. After a moment of sensing, he knew the key to it and snorted coldly.

Dozens of sword lights shot out like starlight, and before the fire crows could move, they were scattered by the sword lights, turning into a cloud of smoke, which was blown away by the wind and disappeared without a trace.

After sensing for a moment, Yin Hao moved and chased after the place where Master Huoya had left.

Master Huoya passed through the secret passage and left Tianqin Mountain without stopping, heading directly for the Sanchuan River. Once he crossed that river, he could completely get rid of Yin Hao.

"Fire Crow, where are you going?"

Just as Venerable Fire Crow was flying across the Three Rivers, a deep voice suddenly entered his ears. Upon hearing this familiar voice, Venerable Fire Crow's expression immediately changed.

He stopped abruptly, turned around and looked in the direction the voice came from. He saw a handsome monk in a moon-white robe walking through the air, holding prayer beads, and looking at him with a smile.

"So it's Master Baoguang. May I ask what brings you here?"

A sharp glint flashed in Venerable Fire Crow's eyes. This Monk Baoguang was the abbot of Baochan Temple. To outsiders, he appeared kind and gentle, with an elegant demeanor. However, in Venerable Fire Crow's eyes, he was a thoroughly hypocritical person, full of wicked schemes.

"Fellow Daoist Fire Crow, this humble monk has come specifically for the Blood Ruyi in your possession. Will you deliver it to me yourself, or will this humble monk go and retrieve it personally?"

The monk Baoguang's brooked no refusal infuriated Venerable Huoya. He had gone to great lengths to obtain this item, and this thieving monk dared to expect him to hand it over with just a few words. What audacity! Even if he had connections, he was not one to be trifled with.

"Master, you flatter me. If there is nothing else, I have other important matters to attend to and cannot keep you company."

Not wanting to get entangled with him any longer, Venerable Fire Crow flashed and tried to go around him, but Monk Treasure Light was persistent and blocked Venerable Fire Crow's path.

"Monk, get out of the way! If Yin Hao catches up, none of us will be in good shape!"

The two were of similar cultivation levels, and if they got entangled, Yin Hao would definitely catch up.

Upon hearing this, Monk Baoguang paused slightly, then his expression turned serious. What Fire Crow said made sense; Yin Hao was not someone to be trifled with. It was best to leave first.

“Fellow Daoist, there is a stone cave a hundred miles ahead, which is very well hidden. Why don’t we go there?”

Upon hearing this, Venerable Fire Crow immediately said, "Very well, Zen Master, please lead the way."

Upon hearing this, a glint flashed in the eyes of the monk Baoguang. He waved his prayer beads in all directions, and an invisible ripple spread out in the void, erasing the traces of the two. Then, the two flew towards a desolate mountain. By the time Yin Hao arrived, the two had already disappeared.

"Blood guide, probe."

Unable to sense the aura of the Fire Crow Master, Yin Hao calmly took out a red bead. This bead was connected to the fake Blood Ruyi by blood energy, and with a surge of true energy, a clear blood line pointed into the distance.

After collecting the blood beads, Yin Hao swiftly moved forward and continued his pursuit. Guided by the blood lines, he arrived at a desolate mountain a few moments later.

"This place seems to be a dead land, desolate and barren, with not a blade of grass growing. Hmm, there is still a trace of incense power. It seems that Master Fire Crow has other helpers."

Yin Hao's expression immediately turned serious. He didn't care about Huo Ya alone, but if there was a Buddhist with considerable strength and a powerful background, then Yin Hao should treat him with caution.

Just as Yin Hao was about to move forward, two beams of light, one gold and one red, suddenly appeared ahead. Yin Hao immediately sped up and rushed over. He saw a monk fighting with the Fire Crow Master in a desolate rocky valley.

"Baoguang, don't think I won't kill you. Retreat quickly and you might still live. Otherwise, I'll send you to hell!"

"Fellow Daoist Fire Crow, you are already in a deadly situation, yet you still dare to speak so arrogantly. You have broken your promise. Even if the master does not kill you, this humble monk will still destroy you. Hand over the Blood Ruyi obediently, and perhaps this humble monk can put in a good word for you with the master. Otherwise, you will lose decades of cultivation in one day and follow in the footsteps of Daoist Fire Yang."

Master Fire Crow ignored him, his Fiery Cloud Blade flashing crimson light, mixed with the stench of blood, as he slashed towards Monk Treasure Light.

Seeing this, Bao Guang snorted coldly, and the Vajra Tree in his hand shone with golden light. He waved it forward, and golden lotus flowers met the blade light.

"The monk Baoguang of Baochan Temple, it turns out that he was also one of the masterminds behind the scenes. It seems that they had a dispute over the division of the spoils. However, judging from the situation, he is no match for Venerable Huoya."

Yin Hao concealed his aura and observed carefully. He found that although Monk Baoguang's cultivation was similar to that of Venerable Huoya, his combat experience was far inferior to Huoya's. If nothing unexpected happened, this person would definitely be at a disadvantage in half an hour.

"Fire Crow, since you are so ungrateful, this humble monk has no choice but to kill you!"

After fighting for dozens more rounds, Bao Guang knew that a prolonged battle would be disadvantageous, so he withdrew immediately. His face was frosty, his monk's robes fluttered without wind, and the Vajra Tree in his hand floated in front of him, radiating brilliant golden light. A peculiar aura instantly enveloped an area of ​​three zhang.

However, the Fire Crow Master on the opposite side remained expressionless, coldly watching the other party's actions.

"It's the Heavenly Dragon Formless! This monk Baoguang has actually cultivated to this level."

Yin Hao was slightly startled. This "Heavenly Dragon Formless" was a superior skill that Baochan Temple was famous for. When practiced to its extreme, it could condense the form of a great compassionate heavenly dragon. With a roar, the dragon could break all kinds of supernatural powers, especially those filthy energies of the mortal world.

As Zen Master Baoguang continued to circulate his supernatural powers, a golden dragon suddenly rose from his body, its dragon eyes fixed on the Fire Crow Master opposite him, waiting only for the order to kill the enemy.

"What a display of power! However, your forced use of the Heavenly Dragon Formless Technique was a mistake. It not only failed to save your life, but also served my purpose."

Master Fire Crow sheathed his Fire Cloud Blade, his aura surged, and a phantom of a fire crow appeared behind him, its entire body demonic, its eyes bloodshot, its body surrounded by flames, and its blood energy rising.

"Oh, really."

Upon hearing this, Monk Baoguang chuckled, then stood on one foot, clasped his hands together, and chanted scriptures. In just half a breath, the sky turned golden, and golden lotus rain fell from the sky, along with a faint Buddhist incense that filled the entire space. The lotus rain landed on Venerable Fire Crow, and instantly melted away the illusory image of Fire Crow like snow melting in the sun.

At the same time, golden Buddhist patterns suddenly appeared on the ground, forming an extremely complex magic array. Master Fire Crow wanted to dodge, but he was trapped inside and could not break free for a short time.

"Sandalwood Incense and Pure Rain!"

Master Huoya's face had turned extremely ugly. He hadn't expected that Monk Baoguang would go to such lengths. It seemed that Baochan Temple no longer existed.

"Fellow Daoist Fire Crow, please continue your journey."

After saying his malicious words, Monk Baoguang pushed with both hands, and the Heavenly Dragon Form, together with the Sandalwood Incense Rain, attacked Venerable Fire Crow. The rolling air waves stirred up the surrounding rocks. Upon seeing this, Venerable Fire Crow had a thought and slashed with a single palm. The phantom of Fire Crow merged into the palm energy and collided with the Heavenly Dragon Form.

After a startling explosion, Venerable Fire Crow staggered back several steps, his face paling. In contrast, Monk Baoguang remained unmoved. Before Venerable Fire Crow could recover, the formation activated again, the circle shrinking relentlessly, determined to trap Venerable Fire Crow within. Sensing the incoming rain of incense and lotus blossoms, Venerable Fire Crow had no choice but to raise his protective aura. However, he knew he had made a fatal mistake, falling into a trap. He couldn't help but regret his actions; he shouldn't have allowed Baoguang to unleash his power so easily. Who knew he was so vicious, willing to sacrifice the lives of all the monks and worshippers in the temple to create this sandalwood rain of incense?

As the protective aura continued to dissipate, Venerable Fire Crow reached out and grabbed the Blood Ruyi, which immediately appeared in Monk Baoguang's eyes. His uncontrollable greed drove him mad.

"Let me show you the power of this Blood Ruyi!"

With a ferocious expression, Venerable Fire Crow poured all his true energy into the Blood Ruyi. The Blood Ruyi immediately shone brightly with crimson light, shattering the formation and causing the sandalwood rain to dissipate. Venerable Fire Crow was secretly pleased with the Blood Ruyi's great power. Just then, he seemed to sense something was wrong, his expression changed, and he tried to retreat, but an unexpected event occurred.

No matter how hard Huoya Shangren tried, the Blood Ruyi continued to absorb his true energy. In just a short while, Huoya Shangren's true energy was exhausted. What terrified him even more was that the Blood Ruyi began to devour his flesh and blood.

"No!"

Master Fire Crow let out a mournful cry and, to the horrified look on Monk Baoguang's face, turned into a pile of black ash.

"Walk."

Seeing that things were not going well, Monk Baoguang no longer wanted the Blood Ruyi and immediately turned to flee. However, the Blood Ruyi, which was shining brightly with crimson light, would not let him go so easily.

Transforming into a crimson streak, it shot away with a whoosh. Monk Baoguang, hearing the sound behind him, was terrified and mobilized all his inner energy, suddenly increasing his speed several times over.

Just then, a sword light rushed over from the front. Upon seeing the figure, Monk Baoguang roared in anger.

"Yin Hao!"

Before he could think further, Monk Baoguang's eyes flashed, and his true energy suddenly erupted. He used the Shattering Yuan Technique to boost his combat power in a short time, increasing his true energy by 40%. Monk Baoguang pushed with both hands, and the Heavenly Dragon Form immediately attacked Yin Hao.

Taking advantage of the moment when his opponent was entangled, Monk Baoguang's figure instantly passed by Yin Hao and fled into the distance.

Yin Hao looked at the approaching Heavenly Dragon Form, casually slashed it with his sword, and with a wave of his hand, the Blood Ruyi obediently fell into his hand.

"go."

With the help of Yin Hao's true energy, Xue Ruyi flew out of his hand and soared forward at an even faster speed than before. In just a few breaths, he caught up with the fleeing monk Bao Guang.

"May the Guru have mercy!"

Seeing the Blood Ruyi so close at hand, Monk Baoguang shouted and took out his last trump card. As he shouted, a jade tablet on Monk Baoguang's body flew out and shone with golden light. A phantom image of Buddha appeared. The Blood Ruyi closed to within three feet of Monk Baoguang and could not advance any further. Moreover, as the phantom image became more and more solid, the Blood Ruyi kept humming.

Upon seeing his master appear, Monk Baoguang was overjoyed. The Buddha's illusory figure glanced at him expressionlessly, pointed a finger, and Monk Baoguang was astonished to see his entire body shatter like glass, breaking into countless points of light. After being absorbed by the illusory figure, the light completely transformed into a solidified human figure.

"So that's how it is. The Imperial Sword Manor's methods are extraordinary. A fake Blood Ruyi made me reveal myself. The crafting technique is extremely profound and cannot be mastered by ordinary people. It seems that the Imperial Sword Manor's apparent power is just the tip of the iceberg."

Reaching out and grabbing the Blood Ruyi, the Buddha figure muttered to himself before crushing it to pieces. He then looked up at Yin Hao, who was chasing after him.

"Who is your Excellency?"

Yin Hao looked at the figure dressed as a Buddha in front of him with a solemn expression. This person's aura was ethereal and unpredictable, and it was difficult to grasp. He was afraid that this person's power was far above his own.

"Master Yin, with you here, my trip has not been in vain. The Blood Ruyi will eventually fall into my hands. The Zhilun Temple has beautiful scenery. Why don't you come and have a seat, Master Yin, so that I can show you some hospitality?"

Yin Hao's heart sank upon hearing this. It seemed that the other party had been prepared for this for a long time. What a deep scheme! The Fire Crow Master, the Precious Light Monk, and Tianqin Mountain had all become stepping stones for him.

"I apologize that I cannot keep my promise. If Your Excellency wishes to obtain the Blood Ruyi, you shall go to the Imperial Sword Manor to retrieve it in person."

"Alas, if that's what Master Yin says, then this humble monk has no choice but to do it himself."

The Buddha reached out and grabbed, and a force that bound space sealed Yin Zhong from all sides. Yin Hao's expression changed drastically. This person was not someone he could defeat by force. In a flash, he drew his long sword, and streaks of sword light flew in all directions, but they were all blocked by a gentle force.

Yin Hao then used several superior techniques in succession, but all to no avail.

Seeing Yin Hao struggling in his death throes, Buddha chuckled and then added more force. Just when Buddha thought the matter was settled, a massive palm strike from the sky hit the shackles squarely, and Yin Hao was immediately freed from them.

He then looked around with a puzzled expression. The palm strike just now was powerful and contained righteous energy, so it must have been delivered by a righteous master. He wondered which master it was.

"Who is this?"

Upon seeing this, the Buddha roared in anger, and a look of surprise appeared on his face for the first time. The fact that the other party had broken through his binding power with just a single palm strike made him wonder what kind of power the true body must possess. After such a thought appeared in his mind, a sense of fear that he could not shake off came over him.

This is the first time I've encountered something like this since I entered the Buddhist order.

Just as he was searching for the person hiding in the shadows, a golden sun suddenly appeared in the sky, radiating light and shining brightly, making it seem as if two suns had appeared in the sky for a moment.

"Could this supernatural power be 'Golden Sun of the Bright Sun'?" Yin Hao raised his hand to shield his eyes, cautiously looking upwards, his heart filled with shock.

He had heard of the Hao Ri Jin Yang supernatural power from his ancestor, who also said that if one encountered someone who used this supernatural power, one should always show them respect, as this person was the one that Yu Jian Manor should never provoke.

Not only did Yin Hao recognize the origin of this supernatural power, but the Buddha was also shocked upon seeing Hao Ri and said in a hoarse voice, "Palace Master Zhenwu!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the golden light of the sun in the sky receded, and a figure stepped out from inside.

The man was dressed in a black and white Taoist robe, with an elegant and refined demeanor, an air of immortality and Taoist wisdom, and eyes that held the might of heaven. Five-colored auspicious clouds swirled around him, and black and white auras converged. As he walked step by step, a mysterious aura naturally flowed out, and the originally barren hills were instantly filled with spiritual light, and a vibrant life began from there, presenting a magnificent scene of an immortal descending to earth.

Gu Xu glanced at the Buddha and said calmly, "So it is Fellow Daoist Miaozhi. It seems that your three lifetimes of immeasurable merit have been perfected."

Upon hearing this, Zen Master Miaozhi's expression turned quite grim. At the same time, he felt a deep sense of apprehension towards Gu Xu, as he could no longer fathom the depths of Gu Xu's cultivation. Perhaps Gu Xu had already reached the critical juncture of breaking through the Heavenly Gate.

"Master Gu Xu, this humble monk greets you. Now that you have come in person, this humble monk will take his leave."

After Miaozhi finished speaking, he was about to leave, but before he had taken three steps, a sword light locked onto him from afar, and Miaozhi couldn't help but frown.

"What do you mean by this, Taoist Master?"

“The Zen Master knows perfectly well that the Blood Fiend Yuan Power is beyond your control. It would be best to destroy it as soon as possible, otherwise, it will be another calamity for all living beings.”

Upon hearing this, Miao Zhi's heart sank. He had obtained this Blood Fiend Power by chance, and it contained immense power. If he could refine it, he might be able to break through the Heavenly Barrier and attain the Golden Buddha True Body.

However, the bloodthirsty power was extremely evil, so he had to create multiple avatars and refine them using incense. Later, he learned about the effects of the Blood Ruyi from the Imperial Sword Manor, which caused a commotion. Unexpectedly, Gu Xu noticed it.

"Daoist Master, obstructing someone's path to enlightenment is a fight to the death. Do you really want to do this? Even if I die, someone will continue to refine that Blood Fiend Yuan Power, and then it will truly be a calamity for all living beings."

Seeing that Gu Xu remained silent, Miao Zhi seized the opportunity to say, "If this humble monk can refine this thing completely, it would not be a bad thing. It would also eliminate a potential threat to the common people. Daoist Gu Xu, you are a highly accomplished person, and I believe you understand the reasoning better than this humble monk."

Standing aside, Yin Hao listened to Miao Zhi's words and felt that something was wrong. She spoke with great righteousness, but in reality, she was just satisfying her own selfish desires.

"The Zen Master has finished speaking. I only have one question: will you destroy the Blood Fiend Power yourself, or will I do it?"

Miao Zhi's eyes turned cold as he looked at Gu Xu with increasing hostility. His aura suddenly changed, and he reached out, sending a cloud of red smoke hurtling towards Gu Xu.

"Taoist priest, be careful."

Yin Hao couldn't help but shout. The red smoke cloud was extremely corrosive and seemed to be formed by fusing incense with a special power.

(End of this chapter)