Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 522

Yayoi's location has been determined.

Runsheng squatted down, stretched his hands to the sides of his backpack behind him, and pulled out two footrests.

The footrests are the two ends of the prefabricated table, designed to be folded and embedded inside a backpack.

Li Zhuiyuan and A Li stood on the left and right, respectively, with their feet on the pedals and their hands on Runsheng's shoulders.

Runsheng stood upright, carried the boy and girl on his back, and began to run.

In the past, Runsheng only needed to carry Li Zhuiyuan on his back, and the boy got used to hugging Runsheng's neck.

Now, Runsheng has one more person to support.

Since we started walking the river, as "lost items" have been continuously returned and the team's conditions have improved, many things that were once treasures have gradually become useless. They are too cumbersome to carry around, so we simply leave them at home.

But this prefabricated altar table can be continuously improved and upgraded, continuing to shine.

However, although this mode of transportation existed since Ah Li first traveled the river with the team, it was rarely used.

Under normal circumstances, there is no need to travel so quickly; under special circumstances, carrying two people on his back is a major constraint for Runsheng, like holding two delicate and fragile porcelain pieces, making him feel restricted.

Therefore, the team formation also changed, with Tan Wenbin remaining in the back and Lin Shuyou moving from the flank to the front row.

Right now, we must ensure Yayoi's safety. If something happens to Yayoi here, then Li Zhuiyuan will have no choice but to become a true bodhisattva.

From this point on, the final form of this wave was established.

If nothing unexpected happens, I and Yayoi will be the only two light-lighters in this wave.

Yayoi was able to ride this wave, but Chen Xiyuan had to be pulled away on the eve of her entry.

Li Zhuiyuan speculated that this should be related to the degree of causal entanglement in this wave.

My own rules for navigating the river have changed, but these rules can still be summarized and applied.

If we need help in the future, we can either choose from teams that are causally connected to the next wave, or we can create a solid causal link for them.

The latter is very difficult, and the success rate is uncontrollable. The simplest approach is to expand the size of the external team. As long as the sample size is large enough, suitable teams can always be selected.

A slight burning sensation came from the golden ring scar on my palm.

Li Zhuiyuan immediately relayed the new instructions to his companions via the red line: slow down.

Before signing the Buddhist oath, Sun Boshen was the one who eagerly awaited it, but after signing the oath, Sun Boshen became "ruthless".

Li Zhuiyuan even suspected that Sun Baishen might already be "dead".

They were incredibly enthusiastic when they invited you to the table, but once you're seated, there's no longer any special treatment.

Sun Baishen now seems to have become the cold ruler of this vast Zhenjun Temple.

This explains why Sun Boshen suddenly took a liking to him; it might be a rational judgment that sets aside emotional inclinations.

From Sun Boshen's perspective, he naturally hoped that as many eminent monks as possible would pass away here. Only by manipulating and controlling the situation as much as possible to keep the intensity rising could the light of the "sun" above shine ever brighter.

In this way, we can avoid the situation where one side wins by achieving the ultimate cost-effectiveness. The ultimate winner will also support this approach, as he wants to have more confidence to compete for enlightenment with a true bodhisattva.

Sure enough, just as Li Zhuiyuan gave the order to slow down, blood began to seep from the cracks in the paving stones ahead. Within a few breaths, the blood accumulated and formed a blood-red river.

Li Zhuiyuan had seen this scene before when he first entered the Zhenjun Temple, but back then the Zhenjun Temple was "dead" and not as varied as it is now.

Li Zhuiyuan is skilled in formations, restrictions, feng shui, and mechanisms. It can be said that there are not many places in this world that can truly trap him, and the current obstacle is not difficult to overcome.

But the boy dared not do so, because as soon as he raised his hand, playing the prelude to changing the layout of this place, the burning pain of the golden ring scar intensified rapidly, and a part of the sun above his head began to roll and brew.

It's not a sophisticated formation, yet no one can break it. Whoever dares to play this trick will have a portion of the dense Buddhist energy accumulated above transformed into true Buddhist fire, which will then fall upon them.

If you disobey orders and want to be in charge, then you will be eliminated, forcibly incorporated, and sacrificed.

Initially, the punishment certainly wouldn't have been this severe. Among the high-ranking monks who entered early on, there were definitely those skilled in formations who could have broken them, but since their interests aligned with the rules, they wouldn't have done so.

Then, as more and more monks passed away, the Buddha's light grew stronger and stronger, and the punishments became increasingly severe, eventually becoming unbearable for everyone.

This is the brilliance of Sun Baishen's plan. It seems simple and crude, but it is in line with human nature. It is obviously leaky everywhere, but there is no room for you to sneak in.

Five figures appeared on the other side of the blood river.

They were five monks, but they were different from traditional monks. They did not have a solemn appearance; instead, they were as slovenly and destitute as five beggars on the roadside.

Of the five, only two had been ordained: the oldest man and the youngest, who looked to be about the same age as Li Zhuiyuan.

The other three all had messy hair, which they had probably shaved before and then neglected to take care of.

A golden ordination scar appeared on the old man's head. He was the one among this group who had signed the Buddhist vow, the one who was striving for the opportunity to become a Buddha.

"Amitabha." The old man, leaning on a bamboo cane, hastily performed a Buddhist salute with one hand. "Everyone, our time has come."

The little monk parrot mimicked: "Our destiny has arrived! Our destiny has arrived!"

Clearly, the old man had been here for some time and was familiar with the rules, knowing what this encounter meant.

The blood river surged and encircled this area, but its rise was fierce, and the subsequent ebb tide would also be fierce, indicating that both sides only needed to wait here for a while, and this encirclement would dissipate on its own, without needing to fight to the death to reach a conclusion.

Li Zhuiyuan said, "I have no intention of starting a fight at this time. Can we each leave each other in peace?"

The boy wanted to reunite with Yayoi as soon as possible, and from his perspective, the real opponents he needed to fight to the death against were the seven monks of Qinglong Temple. Before that, he didn't need to expend his energy.

Moreover, although Li Zhuiyuan made a great show of making his Buddhist vow, he was the only one in his team who could offer up his Buddha-nature. The seven monks of Qinglong Temple were all highly proficient in Buddhism, and together they would be a powerful force that could not be ignored. From Sun Baishen's perspective, the priority would definitely be to dismantle this group of seven monks first, so as not to let them form a situation where six monks guard one monk's path to Buddhahood.

Therefore, if Li Zhuiyuan were to approach every monk he encountered, it would be tantamount to helping the seven monks of Qinglong Temple reduce the difficulty of the task.

The old man ignored Li Zhuiyuan's words and began to introduce himself:
"This old monk has no Dharma name, and his secular name is Shisheng. These four are the four disciples that this old monk has adopted. They also have no Dharma name: Shiyue, Shian, Shiwang, and Shiyu."

Shi Yue was tall and thin, carrying a carrying pole; Shi An was chubby, the kind of bloated chubby; Shi Wang wore a straw hat and carried a bamboo basket; and Shi Yu was a young novice monk.

The young novice monk parroted his master's words again.

Lin Shuyou: "Whose monk is this?"

Tan Wenbin: "It's not any particular family. When I was having tea and chatting with the old lady before, she mentioned that there is a type of monk called 'beggar monk' in this world."

This group of monks are without sect, affiliation, temple, or affiliation; they are like outcasts in the Buddhist community.

Their backgrounds are diverse. Some entered the Buddhist path through self-enlightenment, relying on their own exploration and understanding; some were forced into exile after temples closed; and others were expelled from large temples for various reasons, no longer permitted to call themselves Dharma names or mention lineages.

The beggar monks in the secular world include those who beg, those who practice asceticism, and those who tell fortunes... Those who go from house to house chanting sutras and praying for blessings during festivals are also part of the beggar monk group. Sometimes, when parents see such beggar monks entering the village, they will call their children who are playing outside back home, close the doors and windows, and pretend that no one is home.

However, those who can enter this place are not the traditional secular beggar monks. The immense pressure they feel when entering the thick fog is something that ordinary people simply cannot withstand.

The common people, including beggar monks, have a high ceiling but a low floor.

The carrying pole in Shi Yue's hands was actually very heavy; the chubby Shi An had incense burning inside him; Shi Wang carried incense, candles, and paper offerings in his bamboo basket; the little novice named Shi Yu was not deliberately mimicking others, but rather his soul was too heavy, suppressing his self-awareness, making him look dull.

These four disciples each practiced a different lineage, and their master, Shi Sheng, could never be an ordinary beggar monk.

Just like how few outlaws in the martial arts world practice formations, feng shui, or restrictions, and even fewer practice multiple disciplines simultaneously, because even if you have amazing talent, you don't have the deep foundation and resources to cultivate them.

This suggests that the Venerable Shi Sheng's background was anything but simple; he was likely expelled from a Buddhist lineage, as Tan Wenbin stated.

Shi Sheng: "This old monk and his disciples pay their respects to you, benefactor. The Buddha said we are destined to meet."

The four disciples said in unison:
"We are destined to meet."

Runsheng squatted down, and Li Zhuiyuan and A Li landed on the ground.

It wasn't that Li Zhuiyuan wanted to fight, but rather that the other side had shown that they were determined to fight, leaving no room for negotiation or compromise.

This kind of resoluteness inevitably evokes certain associations.

No wonder the Blood River only briefly confined the two groups, just for show, without intending to keep it fixed. This shows that from Sun Baishen's perspective, as long as the two sides are brought together, this battle will not be avoided, and there is no need for him to continue to expend his formation power to forcibly draw a circle around the area.

Li Zhuiyuan began to ask, "Master..."

Shi Sheng: "Benefactor, you may address me by my given name."

The old monk was very sensitive to this honorific title.

Li Zhuiyuan ignored him and continued, "Were the monks from the temple in the past also here, Master?"

Shi Sheng smiled and said, "Your insight is truly remarkable."

Li Zhuiyuan nodded. Only this reason could explain the old monk's behavior.

Buddhist lineage forces are entering this place to compete for Buddhist opportunities. If a major force comes with all its might, exceeding Sun Baishen's capacity to bear it, then Sun Baishen can simply "release" this opportunity, ensuring that no one gets it. Under this restrictive condition where it's impossible to overturn the table, the more people come, the bigger the bet, and the greater the loss.

These beggar monks, who had been expelled from the temple, became waste that could be reused. Just like convicts who were conscripted, they died here without any regrets. Their Buddhist nature could be gathered to increase the bottom pool, and they could also help the people of the temple to eliminate their competitors.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Master, is it worth it? If you don't consider yourself, don't you consider the four disciples who follow you?"

It's understandable for one person to come in as a form of atonement or to give back, but it's different when someone brings in four disciples.

Even if we take a step back and assume that these four disciples risked their lives to help me fight for a chance to become a Buddha, then it would be worth it even if I lost, at least I would have given it my all. But to tie up four disciples and leave them here to burn as firewood is something no normal person would do.

Shi Sheng: "I picked them up, I raised them, I gave them their lives, so it's only right that they be returned to me."

The young novice monk replied, "Of course, of course."

Li Zhuiyuan: "What kind of promise was made to the master?"

Shi Sheng said, "Once this matter is settled, I will be able to restore my ordination certificate and return to the temple."

Li Zhuiyuan raised his hand.

Runsheng assembled the Yellow River shovel and stood in the first row; Lin Shuyou drew his double maces, and Tan Wenbin threw out his rusty sword.

Originally, Li Zhuiyuan wanted to try to bribe him, as his current status certainly provided sufficient grounds for such a move. However, since the other party was seeking recognition for their reputation, there was nothing he could do; he couldn't offer that.

Shi Sheng: "Benefactor, although it is fate that brought us together, this old monk still has to say... I'm sorry."

The young novice monk said, "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry."

The old monk knew that what he was doing here was not honorable. He must have done this whole self-introduction process more than once, in order to make up for his inner unease.

Shi Sheng said, “Unfortunately, you are the last one I am missing. If I had already achieved perfection, seeing how young you are, I would be willing to leave one more seed for the future of Buddhism.”

Li Zhuiyuan: "Master, what you said is a bit fake. Do you mean that you are required to eliminate a certain number of opponents in order to complete your task, and after completing the task, you will go easy on them or even seek death?"
"But if the group you helped ultimately fails to win, who will go to the temple to reimburse you? And if they win, won't I be dead too?"

Shi Sheng: "The future lies behind me."

Li Zhuiyuan: "No wonder Sun Baishen brought you all to me. Master, you are so hypocritical, just like an ancient temple with which I have a deep relationship."

Shi Sheng: "Even a half-Buddha is still a Buddha; the Buddha's heart is immeasurable."

Shi Yue held the carrying pole horizontally and stood at the front, with Shi An and Shi Wang standing behind him, and the young novice Shi Yu standing beside the old monk.

Li Zhuiyuan pointed at Shi Yu:
"You're planning to wait until he grows up and can digest and control this naturally powerful soul, then let him light a lamp and walk across the river, right?"

This team configuration is perfect.

"Zoujiang?" Shi Sheng noticed Li Zhuiyuan's choice of words. "Yes, this child is naturally gifted and extraordinary, a promising talent."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Such a promising talent, why did you bring him in to burn?"

Shi Sheng: "I was feeling guilty, but I am not now. This child is able to compete with you, which is like lighting a lamp in advance. Anyway, in the future, Shi Yu and you will meet on the river. Hehe."

Tan Wenbin rubbed his temples and said helplessly, "Master, you really don't know anything about the affairs of the martial world."

Shi Sheng said, "In my heart, there is only the temple gate. Disciples, see the benefactors on their way."

Shi Yue brandished her carrying pole and rushed forward.

Runsheng maintained his formation, standing still, only raising the Yellow River shovel.

Ah Li reached out her hand, extending it forward.

"boom."

The carrying pole collided with the Yellow River shovel.

Runsheng still didn't move, while Shi Yue retreated continuously, her eyes filled with surprise.

Clearly, Runsheng's strength exceeded his expectations.

Shi Yue propped himself up on the carrying pole, put his hands together in prayer, and chanted scriptures. Buddhist patterns appeared on his skin, his skin color began to darken, and his physique gradually became more solid.

Shi Sheng stroked his long beard, quite pleased with his disciple's resilience in the face of setbacks.

But soon, his hand suddenly gripped his beard.

The Buddhist patterns on Shi Yue's body became distorted and disordered, but Shi Yue, who was casting spells to amplify her physique, seemed unaware of this and continued to exert her power.

His body has developed irregular swelling.

Tan Wenbin, standing at the back of the line, put down his hand that had been rubbing his temples and smiled.

Both sides have a team setup, and each team has its own traditional tactics. They start by probing with the team's warrior.

This is why Xiao Yuan wanted to talk to the other party for so long. It wasn't that Xiao Yuan wanted to chat, but rather that he had to talk until the other party made the first move, hoping that the other party would play a traditional style.

Runsheng didn't charge out on his own initiative, partly to maintain formation and partly to let the opposing monks rush over and get closer to his side.

Tan Wenbin had been waiting with his finger pressed against his forehead, and when Shi Yue rushed in, he hypnotized her.

Moreover, although Shi Yue, who retreated after the attack, had distanced herself from Run Sheng, she had not completely returned to the front of her own team and was still some distance away.

Shi Sheng: "Shi Yue..."

As the old monk reminded him, Shi Yue finally realized something was wrong, because he felt inexplicably unable to breathe.

Runsheng gathered his energy and threw a punch forward. This punch was meaningless, but it swept the surrounding air waves forward rapidly.

At that moment, Ayou shot out like an arrow. Under the guidance of Xiaoyuan's red line, he kept a precise rhythm and was not hurt by Runsheng's punch, but he also took advantage of the force of Runsheng's punch.

Speed ​​is Ah You's specialty; he can turn high-speed bursts into sustained bursts, and now, with the help of favorable winds, he is even faster than before.

This was to take advantage of Shi Yue's physical impairment and impaired consciousness to launch a blatant sneak attack.

The old monk Shi Sheng raised his bamboo stick and charged forward.

His speed was no slower than Lin Shuyou's, and the two were evenly matched.

The problem lies in the distance Shi Yue retreated; he was closer to Li Zhuiyuan's side than to his own.

This means that Ayou will arrive before the Venerable Shisheng.

Shi An formed a mudra with his hands, and his fat flesh emitted a glow, as if a candle was lit inside.

A series of Buddhist shadows appeared in front of Shi Yue, intending to interfere with Lin Shuyou's approach and buy time for his senior brother and master.

Ah Li's eyes turned cold, and she clenched her outstretched hand.

Evil, dark figures appeared beside the Buddha's image, beginning their devouring.

The Buddha's shadow vanished quickly.

Shi An's stomach rumbled, and his fat jiggled.

The Buddha's shadow that had tried to block his way was completely dispelled, and Ah You's path to sprint ahead was now clear.

The young novice monk Shi Yu rolled his eyes, and a vast and boundless spiritual force swept out like a whirlwind, forming a vortex above. The vortex quickly condensed and pressed down on Ayou.

This young novice monk is very similar to Li Zhuiyuan. He was originally trained by Shi Sheng to be the next generation of lamplighter, so his physique was not formally honed before his body was fully developed.

Furthermore, to a certain extent, the young novice monk's starting position was much higher than Li Zhuiyuan's. He was born with a natural advantage in spiritual power, while Li Zhuiyuan's current advantage in spiritual power was built up through repeated struggles. In the early days, Li Zhuiyuan often overexerted himself and suffered nosebleeds.

Li Zhuiyuan's gaze shifted upwards, and the roar of the evil dragon was heard. The Liu Clan's Qi Observation Technique was activated, and the feng shui atmosphere surged in the sky. In the silent roar, the newly formed vortex was broken open in one fell swoop.

The young novice rolled his eyes back, a look of horror on his face.

He may be a bit slow-witted, but this direct confrontation allowed him to deeply appreciate the terror of the boys his age on the opposing team.

Spurred by the life-or-death crisis, Shi Yue forced himself to exert his strength again. As blood mist emanated from his body, he regained some mobility and prepared to retreat to find his master for backup.

The old monk Shi Sheng felt relieved. In the end, it was his eldest disciple who lived up to expectations and earned his own way.

But at that moment, a giant eye appeared beneath Shi Yue's feet, closed, and imprisoned Shi Yue once again.

As Shi Sheng was moving forward at high speed, he quickly locked his gaze on the young man. It was that young man who had broken his little disciple's weather vortex first, but he was still able to unleash such a fast formation at the same time!

While it's understandable for the two to be independent, this kind of multitasking is baffling.

Shi Yue's feet, which had just left the ground, were pressed back together and she could not move.

His master arrived; he was right behind him.

But Lin Shuyou was one step ahead of his master.

Lin Shuyou smashed his golden mace down on Shi Yue's head.

This is Ayou's favorite way of fighting, which is the opposite extreme of his usual shyness.

"Snapped!"

Shi Yue's head exploded with a crisp sound: "This melon is guaranteed to be ripe."

After landing a successful blow, Ah-you didn't hesitate at all. He crossed his two maces in front of him and quickly retreated.

Shi Sheng's bamboo stick swept across, missing Ayou, but the qi it carried slammed into Ayou's body.

Most of the protective energy was neutralized by Ayou's double maces, and his figure flew away like a kite with a broken string.

Shi Sheng followed closely behind. He came in with the mindset of dying alongside his disciples, but that did not prevent him from being furious when he watched his eldest disciple die.

Three consecutive sweeps of the bamboo stick struck Ah You, and three gusts of wind hit him. Ah You was at a complete disadvantage. He didn't even think about fighting back. Instead, he firmly obeyed Brother Xiao Yuan's order to retreat!

Until Runsheng raised his Yellow River shovel and it collided with Shisheng's bamboo stick.

Runsheng slid backward, eventually losing his balance. He knelt on one knee, using his palm to brace himself against the powerful inertia, ensuring he remained stable in front of Xiaoyuan.

Ah-you managed to escape and land back inside the formation.

My clothes were torn, and my skin was red and bleeding, but it was just a scratch. I looked a bit disheveled, but I wasn't seriously injured at all.

"Pfft!"

Shi Yue's headless corpse lay on the ground, with a ray of sunlight shining down from above, beginning to extract the Buddha-nature from Shi Yue's body.

Shi Sheng looked back, and in his eyes, along with those of his other three disciples, was disbelief.

In such a simple exchange, in such a normal initial probing move, our senior disciple (eldest brother), who mainly trained as a martial monk, was killed?
It's unclear whether the opponent is hiding something, but judging from the series of exchanges just now, they haven't shown any absolute strength that could easily crush us.

Yet the casualties on our side were so clear.

Shi Sheng seemed to realize something. He looked at Li Zhuiyuan and murmured:

"You...you people are..."

He didn't say the rest, as it would cause him unnecessary trouble later.

He realized that although Li Zhuiyuan was young and seemed to be a replica of his apprentices, he was actually on the river.

The difference between those who have lit lamps and those who haven't isn't just that merit can lead to faster power enhancement, but also the tempering of their character and consciousness.

Among fellow disciples, if two people of the same cultivation level face each other in a life-or-death struggle, the one who lit the lamp will inevitably survive.

Shi Yue died because of that small detail. If he had paid attention to returning to his own side after fighting Runsheng, he wouldn't have died so easily.

As the team's pillar of strength, he is by no means simple. Even after witnessing Runsheng's power, he is still confident that he can improve his physique through other means to continue to contend with Runsheng.

But once you're dead, you're dead. Fighting isn't a friendly exchange; it won't give you the chance to calmly display your skills.

Generation after generation has competed on the river, with countless people coming up full of ambition, only to be swallowed by the first wave and the first encounter. The river will not care about your grievances.

Shi Sheng: "This old monk never expected this, I really never expected this, hehehe..."

Runsheng stood up and straightened the shovel handle, which had been bent slightly by the bamboo stick.

His shovel handle comes from a peach orchard and is extremely resilient.

Runsheng was also observing the old monk. The old monk was indeed very strong, but he managed to block the stick.

Logically, he could have declared himself the winner in advance, but deep down he felt a little uneasy.

Xiao Yuan's voice came from the depths of his heart:

“Brother Runsheng, the old monk has a backup plan. We don’t need to take any risks.”

Runsheng nodded and remained standing.

Even if Runsheng were to fight the old monk, Li Zhuiyuan would not allow Runsheng to engage in any solo combat at this time. Their true opponent had not yet appeared, and all battles before that had to be fought cost-effectively.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Master, the sea of ​​suffering is boundless, but there is always a shore to return to. You have already lost one disciple, so you should spare the lives of the other three."

Shi Sheng smiled but remained silent.

The remaining two disciples remained silent, while the young novice, having recovered, mimicked his master's expression and smiled.

"Crack!"

Blood oozed from Shi Sheng's palm, the bamboo stick cracked, and blood seeped into it, turning the stick red and scalding hot.

His mouth was not moving, but the sound of chanting sutras came from his body. His body was changing rapidly, and his breath was constantly becoming more inward.

"My disciples, today I will show you the authentic scenery of the river!"

Shi Sheng closed his eyes, lifted his foot and stepped out, his momentum resembling that of a resurrected Arhat.

Behind him, Shi An clasped his hands together, his fat swaying like a water bag, and a wisp of green smoke rose from behind him, transforming into the phantom of an Arhat.

The Arhat and his master worked together; Shi An looked up, and the illusory Arhat opened his eyes.

Shi Sheng opened his eyes, his aura was completely ignited, and his magnificent power was comparable to that of a true Arhat descending.

This can be considered a form of empowerment.

Grandma Liu had done something similar to Uncle Qin, but her methods were on a different level. She could make Uncle Qin build up his momentum before he even made a move.

Li Zhuiyuan could do the same thing, but the boy couldn't do it to Runsheng.

Because Runsheng follows an instinctive path, Li Zhuiyuan's attempt to empower him might disrupt Runsheng's original rhythm.

This kind of cooperation should be applied to the "eldest brother"; the old monk is really shaping his disciples according to the template of the future Jiang team.

The young novice monk Shi Yu took out a rattle drum, sat cross-legged, and started turning the drum with a clanging sound, creating an aura of energy.

With a bamboo basket on his back, Shi Wang made hand seals, and candles the size of fingertips flew out, landing and lighting in coordination with his junior brother's array intent.

At the same time, a paper figure crawled out of the bamboo basket on his back and quickly pounced on his senior brother's headless corpse.

"Buzz!"

The eldest brother stood up straight as if he had come to life.

The straw hat on Shi Wang's head flew off and landed on the eldest brother's shoulder, like a new "head". This straw hat also interrupted the sunlight above from drawing out the Buddha-nature from the eldest brother's body.

The previously interrupted and distorted patterns have been straightened out, allowing the eldest brother's unfinished physical enhancement to continue. He will soon regain a certain level of combat power to assist his master.

Seeing the "senior brother" revive, Runsheng scratched his head, Tan Wenbin's lips twitched, and Lin Shuyou's cheeks puffed out.

Li Zhuiyuan's reminder echoed in the minds of his companions:

"Hold it in, don't laugh."

Runsheng scratched his head more vigorously, as if he were marveling at the terrifying aura of the Arhat Shisheng standing before him.

Tan Wenbin chewed a piece of gum and spat it out.

Lin Shuyou's mouth gaped open in amazement at this wondrous method of reviving puppets, and he exclaimed, "Wow!"

Li Zhuiyuan sat cross-legged, holding a dragon-patterned compass in his right hand, with a vicious dragon clinging to it and the array's intent descending.

The young novice monk opposite him still had to rely on his senior brother's candles as materials for setting up the formation, while Li Zhuiyuan was setting up the formation on the spot, engaging in a contest of formation intent with him.

The young novice looked troubled. No matter how fast he shook the rattle drum, how strong the array intent was released, or how much effort his senior brother put in to help, his array was broken time and time again before it could be completed, and he could never form a proper array.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't use his full strength; he was just playing with him, preventing him from successfully setting up his formation, and he wasn't in a hurry to set up his own formation.

However, the boy's left fingertips trembled slightly, indicating that the Nuo opera puppetry had already been activated.

Shi Wang whispered to his junior brother, "Don't worry, you just need to keep him in check. Everything depends on Master and Senior Brother who will be standing up soon."

The voice was very low, but Li Zhuiyuan had good hearing and could hear it. In addition, the boy could also read lips... Furthermore, Tan Wenbin's centipede ears could also detect it and amplify the other party's voice in the boy's mind through the red thread.

This feeling of "conspiring face to face" is something I haven't experienced on the river for a long time. The team on the river either creates their own secret codes for communication or simply relies on tacit eye contact.

The most effective way for the opponent to fight is to have the old monk Shi Sheng take the lead and rush over to disrupt their rhythm, and then their disciples follow up with their own methods.

However, they were very stubborn about their team's advantages and adhered to this dogma, as if they wouldn't fight unless they brought out these advantages.

However, when facing a team with superior team strength and command ability, sticking to conventional tactics will inevitably lead to gradual erosion. It's better to use chaotic tactics to overwhelm the experienced team and disrupt the established order.

Shi Yue's death was a clear warning, but they still haven't woken up from their inertia.

Li Zhuiyuan pursues cost-effectiveness here, and they do the same there. That's why Li Zhuiyuan said that Shi Sheng is hypocritical, saying that once a certain number is raised, it will be used to preserve the future of Buddhism. This sounds like Zhao Yi's last pill.

Always the last one; this old monk was determined to conserve his strength as much as possible so he could contribute more to his temple.

When Shi Sheng arrived, Run Sheng dared not let him continue to press forward and took the initiative to advance.

"boom!"

A stick came crashing down, and Runsheng blocked it with his Yellow River shovel. The shovel handle bent and became hot, and the force of the blow sent Runsheng staggering backward again.

The valve was opened, but the airflow was suppressed by the power of the Arhat and scattered wildly. It paid the price of internal injury and failed to even build up the first layer of power.

Shi Sheng continued on his journey.

After regaining his footing, Runsheng charged forward again. Their weapons clashed once more, and Runsheng was knocked back once more. He coughed repeatedly with his mouth open, and the scorching air surged wildly in his chest, making him very uncomfortable. He still couldn't build up his momentum.

The main problem was the opponent's fighting style, which overwhelmed him in terms of experience and skill. It was both fierce and skillful, making it very difficult for Runsheng to fight.

The head of the Yellow River shovel was red from the high temperature. Runsheng looked at it and wanted to press it against his chest to burn himself.

Instead of racking your brains to figure out how to gain the upper hand in such a confrontation, it's better to let yourself get a little hurt, unleash your resilient nature, and let instinct replace intelligence.

Just as Runsheng was about to do so, Xiaoyuan's voice rang out from the depths of his heart again.

"Runsheng, it's not the right time yet."

Runsheng had no choice but to suppress his impulse and charge forward again with his shovel.

He was defeated again. This time, after retreating, Runsheng clutched his chest and bent over, feeling physically frustrated and uncomfortable.

At this moment, Shi Sheng had already approached his own formation.

Lin Shuyou's headband flashed with the Ghost General mark, and he charged diagonally, while Tan Wenbin's Blood Ape power erupted, and he rushed in from another direction.

The blood-stained porcelain bottle in Ah Li's hand fell, condensing into a zombie figure that pounced forward.

Three figures attacked in turn, each one easily defeated by Shi Sheng, who was in the state of being possessed by an Arhat, with great force. However, this greatly relieved the pressure on Run Sheng.

However, the overwhelming pressure of the situation has not been eliminated. It seems that the old monk Shi Sheng alone can shake Li Zhuiyuan's entire team.

The three disciples behind him smiled.

Shi An: "To avenge my senior brother."

Shi Yu: "Revenge, revenge."

Shi Wang: "Senior Brother is here!"

The aura emanating from the Straw Hat Master was unleashed, and his next step was to rush into the battle to help his master, who had already gained a significant advantage, completely turn the situation into a victory.

Li Zhuiyuan silently muttered to himself: So slow.

He had been waiting for a long time, but he couldn't urge them. He could only wait patiently for the other party to fully adjust the puppet state for him.

And this is precisely when their vigilance is at its lowest.

The eldest brother made a move.

But instead of charging forward towards the enemy, the eldest brother charged towards them.

The three of them were immediately taken aback.

Shi Yu and Shi An both looked at Shi Wang with puzzled expressions.

Shi Wang's face was filled with terror.

The puppet that he painstakingly created using his senior brother's remains as raw material was taken over by someone else as soon as it was completed.

Li Zhuiyuan slid his left index finger to the left, and the senior brother turned around, rushing towards the fat Shi An with a carrying pole in hand.

Shi Wang, who is skilled in puppetry, and Shi Yu, who only knows how to set up formations and feng shui, pose no threat. I can easily neutralize their influence. That fat monk with a belly full of incense can coordinate with the old monk to increase his power. I need to get rid of him first to relieve the pressure on my companions.

The betrayal from the senior brother gave the three of them almost no chance to react. It could be said that in this round, whoever Li Zhuiyuan pointed at died.

"puff!"

The carrying pole pierced through Shi An's stomach, and an aftershock followed, with even more terrifying destructive power in its wake.

Shi An's flesh and blood began to separate. He knew he was going to die. At this moment, he was desperate. His tattered clothes tore open, and his skin, covered with fat lines, tore as if it could not bear the weight. The fat inside sprayed onto his senior brother, soaking him all over.

"boom!"

Incense smoke billowed up, and Shi An and his senior brother's puppet were engulfed in flames.

Shi An had to do this. If he couldn't take the out-of-control puppet with him, then his senior brother could calmly continue killing his two junior brothers after killing him.

In the end, Shi An and his senior brother perished in the flames. Two beams of golden light were drawn out and converged upwards, and the two quickly turned to ashes.

The illusory image of the Arhat condensed by Shi An dissipated, the majesty of the Arhat in Shi Sheng's eyes faded, and his aura diminished sharply. He went from having the upper hand in the previous battle to only having a slight advantage.

However, this slight advantage was not enough to sustain him as he had before, and he was stopped some distance away from the boy sitting cross-legged.

"Play it safe and stall him."

Runsheng and Ali's summoned zombies took turns fighting back, Lin Shuyou harassed them, and Tan Wenbin used his five senses technique to slow down their thinking. Everyone was not seeking merit or effectiveness, but just wanted to temporarily entangle them.

Li Zhuiyuan's gaze fell on the compass in his hand. The compass spun faster, and the evil dragon also stopped slacking off, speeding up its circling.

Next up is Tian Ji's horse racing strategy.

Once Li Zhuiyuan has killed the remaining two opponents, he can free up his hands to calmly set up his formation and join forces with his companions to finally suppress the old monk.

More paper figures sprang out of the bamboo basket behind Shi Wang, their bodies radiating golden light, and rushed toward them.

Li Zhuiyuan continued to pinch slightly with the fingertips of his left hand. Halfway through the rush, half of the paper figures "rebelled" and began to fight and bite each other.

Shi Wang clenched his fists, at a loss for what to do. His opponent was even better at what he was good at, which made all his skills a joke to them.

He glanced at his junior brother, whose forehead was covered in cold sweat, and stopped releasing puppets. Instead, he focused on summoning more small candles to help his junior brother set up the formation.

As long as the formation can be successfully set up, everything will get better!

However, Shi Wang had no idea what his genius junior brother was going through.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't suddenly increase the pace; instead, he would pause after each increase to allow the other person to catch up. Once the other person had caught up, he would continue to increase the pace.

It's like fishing; you take the initiative and keep enticing the bait to bite.

The opponent has a naturally profound spiritual power, so using light would be too time-consuming. The best approach is to overwhelm them with frequency.

It's a bit like adults bullying children, but there's nothing to be ashamed of, because Li Zhuiyuan is also a child.

"Clang, clang, clang!"

The young novice was sweating profusely, which gathered at his chin and dripped down.

Li Zhuiyuan appeared completely normal.

Putting aside his own equipment, the dragon-patterned compass from the Chen family of Qiongya and the dragon spirit he raised are far superior to the broken rattle drum in the little monk's hand.

This was a rare instance for Li Zhuiyuan, where he looked down on the opponent's magic weapon, even though his own magic weapon could completely outclass the opponent's in terms of quality.

The only thing to blame is that their master, when accepting this doomed mission, didn't bother to ask the temple for any good items for his disciples. As a result, although the disciples were very skilled in their techniques, their equipment was far inferior. Li Zhuiyuan and the others had no interest in even looking through the things in Shi Wang's bamboo basket.

The reason they didn't want it is understandable. They came with the intention of using it as firewood, and they couldn't bear to see their temple's most precious treasure go to waste.

Even after being expelled from the temple and having established his own small lineage, the old monk's heart was still in the original temple, and he never truly regarded his disciples as his own.

The rattle in the little monk's hand was sparking.

Its small body began to tremble violently. Shi Wang tried his best to control the candle, but the formation still could not be completed.

Li Zhuiyuan's application has been moved up again.

Hmm, based on my experience, I should be getting a nosebleed by now.

Soon, the young novice monk's nose started bleeding.

Under such pressure and rhythm, the already dull-witted novice monk had lost most of his self-awareness, and was left only to numbly follow Li Zhuiyuan's rhythm.

Next, the eyes should bleed.

The young novice's eyes were bloodshot, and blood was flowing from his eye sockets.

The red in his field of vision intensified his irritability. This time, Li Zhuiyuan didn't even need to advance; he was pushing himself forward at all costs.

Damn, he's blind.

The young novice's eyes lost their luster; he was plunged into darkness and could see nothing.

But he gritted his teeth and persisted in shaking the rattle in his hand.

His transformation reminded Li Zhuiyuan of his past self.

Many times, when facing powerful opponents, he did not hesitate to push himself to the brink of despair, just to fight for that sliver of hope.

Li Zhuiyuan had to admit that the young novice was exceptional in both talent and temperament, a rough gem.

If things were to develop normally, and he were to compete in the next generation of the Light-Light program, he would become a formidable opponent for Benben and his team, thanks to his more experienced senior brothers.

Even Li Zhuiyuan, their opponent, felt sorry for them, but their master showed no pity whatsoever.

The dragon-patterned compass in Li Zhuiyuan's hand stopped spinning, and the evil dragon ceased its coiling, instead wrapping around the young man's wrist in a gesture of affection.

The boy stopped.

It wasn't that he was deliberately letting the young monk go because he valued his talent; rather, the young monk had already been completely outmatched by him, and continuing to follow him would only result in unnecessary exhaustion.

The formation, which had been suppressed by Li Zhuiyuan and had been unable to take shape for a long time, quickly landed, and small candles were lit one by one.

Shi Wang's face lit up with surprise.

But Li Zhuiyuan knew that the moment the formation was complete, the out-of-control novice monk's carriage would completely slide off the road, and he would die suddenly.

As the young novice monk's master, Shi Sheng should also be aware of this.

If he had shouted at that moment to order his little disciple to stop, the young novice might have fainted and survived. At the very least, he could have hoped that Li Zhuiyuan would take pity on him and not eliminate the threat completely.

Of course, this possibility is very low. Letting such a talented seed leave alive would be extremely irresponsible to one's descendants. But even less likely is that the old monk would order his young disciple to stop.

Sure enough, the old monk seemed engrossed in dealing with Tan Wenbin and his group's offensive and couldn't spare any attention for anything else.

Even though Tan Wenbin and his team didn't put in their best effort or face real pressure.

The formation gradually took shape.

In the old monk's mind, fainting here was tantamount to being useless or dying, since it was all about sacrificing one's Buddha-nature, just sooner or later. He wanted his young disciple to set up the formation to help him turn the tide.

The formation is complete!

"Snapped!"

The rattle drum exploded, the rope snapped and beads fell, the little novice spat out a mouthful of blood, his head drooped, lifeless, and his Buddha-nature was drawn away to the upper part of his body.

"Junior Brother!!!"

Shi Wang roared in anger.

In a short period of time, his senior and junior brothers died tragically one after another in front of him, which drove him to the brink of madness. His eyes were filled with intense hatred for Li Zhuiyuan and the others.

Li Zhuiyuan turned his head slightly. He didn't resent his master at all. He was the one who made it clear from the beginning that he didn't want to fight. It was they who had no choice but to kill him.

I can understand; the kind of master you have will produce the kind of apprentice you become.

Li Zhuiyuan stood up.

Ah Li, who was beside her, switched from using both hands to control the Blood Porcelain Zombie to using one hand, and reached behind her with the other hand to grab a Jianlibao (a type of Chinese herbal drink) from her backpack.

Li Zhuiyuan reached out and grasped A Li's hand, gently rubbing it before letting go, indicating that he didn't need any nourishment after such exertion.

Ah Li withdrew her hand and continued to form hand seals.

After the formation was completed, the pressure on Tan Wenbin and the others increased sharply. Shi Sheng, holding a stick, swept away and forced back all obstacles in front of him.

He stared intently at Li Zhuiyuan in front of him.

"This old monk demands that you pay for my disciples' lives!"

After speaking, Shi Sheng lunged forward, once again knocking Run Sheng, who had been strictly forbidden by Li Zhuiyuan from doing anything real, away. The tip of his staff was aimed directly at Li Zhuiyuan.

The boy said softly:
"town."

The evil dragon flew straight up and merged into the formation. In an instant, all the candles on the ground turned gray.

Li Zhuiyuan could change the lock on the Great Emperor's Ghost Gate, let alone this newly erected formation that was left unattended due to the sudden death of its setter.

All the pressure from the formation was concentrated on Shi Sheng. As he charged forward, his knees buckled, and he knelt on one knee.

The great formation he created by sacrificing his youngest apprentice's life was soon taken over by another.

While continuing to manipulate the formation to suppress the old monk, Li Zhuiyuan also made minor adjustments to the formation set up by the young novice monk to make it more perfect.

Tan Wenbin, Runsheng, and the others attacked again. The old monk roared and sprayed blood mist from his body, finally breaking free from the formation's constraints and regaining some freedom.

But fortunes change, and now Tan Wenbin and his group, relying on the formation's enhancement, are hunting him down.

The familiar rhythm is back. What Li Zhuiyuan's team excels at is not being complacent when they gain an advantage, but steadily and surely securing the final result.

Shi Wang wanted to help his master, but he couldn't enter the formation, and the puppets he released would betray him as soon as they got close.

After establishing a balance of power with the main body, Li Zhuiyuan achieved the literal meaning of multitasking. Apart from helplessly shouting in anger, Shi Wang could not make any waves and could only be a powerless spectator, watching helplessly as his master was gradually worn down and disintegrated by this group in the same way they dealt with wild boars.

Only those who are in the midst of an attack can truly understand this despair. Shi Sheng fights hard but fails to find any weaknesses, while his own condition continues to decline.

The anger in his eyes gradually subsided, and his burning Buddhist heart was rekindled for the temple.

"Let me leave, and I can help you deal with the other competitors!"

Li Zhuiyuan ignored him, and his partners continued to mechanically carry out their actions without stopping.

Shi Sheng: "I swear, if you let me go, I will never lay a hand on you again!"

He didn't want to die here. Dying here would only be a sacrifice of his Buddhist nature. If he could live a little longer, he could make more contributions to the temple.

Li Zhuiyuan remained indifferent.

Shi Sheng: "I am willing to tell you the location of my dilapidated temple, where I have collected precious materials, artifacts and martial arts manuals over the decades."

Li Zhuiyuan realized that he had misunderstood the old monk.

The old monk not only did not ask the temple for any benefits for his disciples, but he also secretly hid the benefits. It's easy to guess that his purpose was to make a donation to the temple.

Upon hearing this, Shi Wang froze outside the formation.

As disciples of the master, in addition to being taught skills, the master talked to them about two things in their daily lives. One was how wonderful Faping Temple was, a sacred place that Buddhists longed for. They should be proud to have the opportunity to enter Faping Temple in this life, and even if their relics or monk's robes could be put into Faping Temple after death, it would be the highest honor.

Another thing is how bad Master's illness is. He has to exchange precious medicines from other sects in the martial arts world to prolong his life. Otherwise, he will suffer a fate worse than death. So his fellow disciples risk great danger to collect rare and precious herbs for Master and to do dangerous tasks for other sects, just so that Master will not suffer.

It turns out that Master had been lying to us all along.

Li Zhuiyuan asked, "You should have told your temple the location, so how can you be sure those treasures are still there?"

Shi Sheng: "Faping Temple is a large and powerful organization, second only to Qinglong Temple in the history of Buddhist sects in the martial arts world. Why would they care about such trivial matters? The temple certainly hasn't sent anyone to retrieve them yet!"

Li Zhuiyuan: "First, state your location."

Shi Sheng reported his location.

Li Zhuiyuan nodded.

The hunt did not stop.

Shi Sheng became anxious: "I swear on my sincerity to the temple that the location I just reported was absolutely true!"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Yes, I believe you."

Tan Wenbin kept a close eye on Shi Wang's micro-expressions, transmitting them to Li Zhuiyuan's mind. From Shi Wang, he could confirm that the location was accurate.

Shi Sheng: "Then why don't you keep your promise and let this old monk and my disciple leave?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "When did I ever make a promise to you?"

Shi Sheng: "But I clearly told you the location of the ruined temple!"

Li Zhuiyuan: "You were the one who wanted to tell me. I didn't promise you anything."

Shi Sheng: "You...you...you must be of noble birth, and a person from Jiangshang, how could you be so despicable and shameless!"

Tan Wenbin: "Listen carefully! My brother Xiaoyuan is the head of the Qin and Liu families of the Dragon King, and he possesses the heritage of two Dragon King ancestral homes. You think my brother Xiaoyuan would look down on the scraps that even your Faping Temple doesn't value? That's a joke!"

Runsheng grinned.

Lin Shuyou puffed out his cheeks again.

Li Zhuiyuan also hoped that what Binbin said was true.

But the truth is, Li Zhuiyuan really did memorize the location of the dilapidated temple.

I've always been the one tearing down other people's houses to build my own.

Demolish one place, build a little, and each time only scraps are left. Most of the resources that Chen Xiyuan brought were invested by Li Zhuiyuan in the underground construction of the kiln. Li Zhuiyuan didn't even waste the flowers and herbs in Sister Chen's cave, and planted them in the herb garden with A Li.

The early stages of starting from scratch are the hardest. Even if you earn a lot and quickly, it takes a long time to accumulate enough to catch up with others at the starting line.

Li Zhuiyuan was genuinely interested in the things inside the dilapidated temple, after all, the old monk Shisheng was a truly outstanding temple-supporting monk.

However, Tan Wenbin said these things not for the sake of appearances or to satisfy his ego, but to use this opportunity to further disturb Shi Sheng's mind and create an opportunity for his own hypnosis.

He succeeded. After learning the identities of Li Zhuiyuan and his group, a huge crack appeared in the monk Shi Sheng's defenses.

The old monk wasn't shocked by Li Zhuiyuan's identity as a member of the Twin Dragon Kings, but rather by the fact that the current head of the Dragon Kings' lineage, the one who lit the lamp, had also come here. He began to worry about the people from Faping Temple who came seeking Buddhist affinity.

Shi Sheng shouted, "No, no, no! As the head of the Dragon King's Clan, why would you covet this Buddhist affinity? No, you can't, you can't do this!"

Tan Wenbin thought to himself, "Brother Xiaoyuan, just break through his defenses a little more, I'm almost there, and this will save us time."

Li Zhuiyuan clasped his hands together in prayer:
"Amitabha."

Pure, golden light rose, and a radiant halo of fragrance filled the air.

Shi Sheng's eyes widened.

Tan Wenbin's snake-like eyes spun, and the phantom images of four mythical beasts appeared behind him, activating together.

A look of madness appeared in Shi Sheng's eyes.

"No, impossible, impossible, absolutely impossible!"

His stick was no longer wielded with any order; his mind had already become chaotic before his body.

The Blood Porcelain Zombie's fingernails were able to pierce his body at the right moment, injecting corpse poison; Lin Shuyou's golden mace could hit his joints; and Runsheng's shovel could even break his center of gravity.

The stalemate is over, the turning point has arrived, and we will now enter the fast lane.

As Shi Sheng's injuries worsened, he tried several times to self-destruct or use secret techniques, but every time he had this thought, his opponents would scatter and create distance in advance, forcing him to swallow his anger.

"what!!!"

Finally, with a final, unwilling roar, Shi Sheng's broken body could no longer withstand the pressure of the formation and collapsed to his knees.

Runsheng and Lin Shuyou took turns probing him, but instead of going straight for his head, they continued to leave wounds in his wake, following the original rhythm.

"Pfft!"

Shi Sheng lay prostrate on the ground, his eyes filled with madness and despair.

"boom!"

He exploded.

The affected area was very small, firstly because it was severely weakened, and secondly because Li Zhuiyuan controlled the formation to suppress its destructive range.

The formation collapsed, turning into streaks of flame that obscured the view and senses in the area.

When Shi Wang learned that his master was dead, he knelt down on the ground in despair, his expression blank.

Before coming, his fellow disciples agreed to fulfill their master's long-cherished wish of returning his name to Faping Temple. He thought he had prepared himself mentally, but when the bloody result was presented to him, he found that his Buddhist heart was still not firm enough.

Li Zhuiyuan emerged from the firelight, stood before Shi Wang, and spoke:

"Your master doesn't love you at all. Is it really worth dying for a master like that?"

Shi Wang: "You're right, Master really doesn't seem to care about us..."

The next moment, the bamboo basket behind Shi Wang disassembled and attached itself to his body, forming two arms holding bamboo knives, which swiftly pierced Li Zhuiyuan's chest.

With one slash, he cut Li Zhuiyuan in half at the waist; with another, he stabbed Li Zhuiyuan in the chest and lifted him up.

Shi Wang shouted loudly, "No, Master cares about us, it's just that Faping Temple holds a more important place in Master's heart!"

Li Zhuiyuan's mutilated body was bleeding profusely, and pieces of red paper accumulated on the ground.

The boy's facial makeup was distorted, transforming into the face of a seductive woman.

Shi Wang: "Truly... such profound puppetry skills."

His body fell in pieces, and pieces of paper sliced ​​into Shi Wang's body, tearing him into eighty pieces.

Immediately, the "Evil Book" went berserk and tried to devour his soul, but no matter how hard she tried, she could only grab a little bit, and the rest was taken away by the sun above.

Paper is recycled, bound into volumes, and transformed back into wordless books.

Li Zhuiyuan picked up the blank book and patted off the remaining bloodstains.

Then, Tan Wenbin looked at Ayou.

Lin Shuyou: "Brother Bin, you win. I'll clean your coffin for a month when I get back."

Tan Wenbin: "You'll understand once you look around more. There are such examples in the village. Regardless of gender, those who blindly support others often strive to mold their children into people just like themselves."

Ah Li summons the zombie back, and the Blood Porcelain returns to her palm.

Runsheng coughed as he touched the corpse.

The master self-destructed, and Shi Yue and Shi An were burned to ashes together, leaving only two bodies that could be touched.

The young novice monk only had a rattle drum. When it broke, Runsheng picked it up, looked at it, and then threw it on the ground.

Walking up to Shi Wang, Run Sheng rummaged through the scattered items nearby, shaking his head as he did so. Finally, he pulled out the bamboo strips that the bamboo basket had transformed into and put them into his hiking backpack, where they could be used as sturdy straps to tie things up.

Runsheng unfolded the pedal again, squatted down, and Li Zhuiyuan and A Li stood on it.

"Cough...cough..."

It's a minor internal injury, nothing serious. Runsheng's internal energy still needs some time to settle.

This caused Li Zhuiyuan and A Li, who were standing on Runsheng's back, to feel constant bumps and jolting during the rest of the journey, as if they were riding on their great-grandfather's tractor.

As Tan Wenbin moved, he lit a cigarette to calm his fatigue, while Lin Shuyou applied medicated oil to his body as he ran.

Overall, the team is not in perfect condition, but it has only experienced some hardships.

Li Zhuiyuan looked down at the ring scar on his palm. He hoped that Sun Boshen would not arrange another opponent for him immediately. Even if he had to, it would be best to wait until he and Yayoi had reunited.

The closer one gets to the location of Yayoi that was previously sensed, the clearer the movements there become. In this peaceful place of Buddhist light, a strong demonic aura is spreading.

This suggests that Yayoi has also encountered a rival.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Runsheng, speed it up."

Without any intention of standing idly by, the team rushed to provide support as quickly as possible, but just as they arrived, the commotion ceased.

Amidst the ruins, Yayoi sat motionless, her white monk's robes now blackened.

Seeing this, Li Zhuiyuan was a little worried that he had passed away.

Fortunately, Yayoi slowly turned his head. His face was pale, and his monk's robe was torn open, revealing several shocking wounds. But he was not dead; it was his opponent who had died.

Yayoi: "Senpai."

Li Zhuiyuan dismounted from Runsheng's back and walked up to Yayoi: "How powerful was the opponent you faced that you ended up like this?"

Li Zhuiyuan had tested Yayoi's current strength, and in a one-on-one fight, neither Ayou nor Chen Xiyuan were a match for her at this moment.

Yayoi: "Not very strong, but I wasn't in good condition before the fight."

Li Zhuiyuan opened his right palm to Yasheng, revealing the golden ring scar.

Yayoi bowed his head to Li Zhuiyuan. He was a monk, so the ordination scars were naturally on his head.

Li Zhuiyuan: "I want to win, but I won't let you lose. Do you believe me?"

Yayoi shook her head: "This humble monk does not believe it."

After a pause, Yayoi smiled again, revealing her bloodied teeth:
"But I can't find any reason why you need to lie to me, so from now on, whatever you tell me to do, I will do."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Brother Binbin, get the medicine to treat our master's injuries."

"Wait a moment."

Yayoi tore her tattered inner lining apart from the fused flesh, carefully took out a red envelope from the inner pocket, and then a small cloth bag stained with her own blood.

He handed the small cloth bag to Tan Wenbin, who took it and opened it. Inside was a pool of white powder.

Tan Wenbin poked at it with his index finger, brought it to his lips, and licked his middle finger with his tongue.

Then, he put his index finger to Lin Shuyou's lips, and Lin Shuyou stuck out his tongue and licked it.

Lin Shuyou: "It has no flavor."

Tan Wenbin looked at Yayoi: "What is this?"

Yayoi: "Shariputra."

Lin Shuyou: "..."

Tan Wenbin: "Does this look like a relic?"

Yayoi: "The Buddha-nature inside was drawn away by the sun above and turned into powder."

Tan Wenbin: "What can we do?"

Yayoi: "The old man likes to drink alcohol. We can take this back for him to make alcohol for. It can help with calcium intake."

Tan Wenbin: "Isn't this kind of relic powder everywhere in this place?"

Yayoi: "This is different. This is the relic of one of my grandmaster uncles. It is of a higher grade."

Tan Wenbin: "You killed a high-ranking monk of the Kong generation?"

Yayoi: "My grandmaster uncle committed suicide by drinking poison."

Tan Wenbin: "Okay, I'll take it back. You've already eaten the meat. Next time you come to Nantong, you can accompany Grandpa Li to break your abstinence from alcohol."

Yayoi: "Even if I survive this wave, I don't know whether I'll be friend or foe when I go to Nantong next time."

Lin Shuyou took his toothbrush out of his backpack and tugged at Tan Wenbin's arm, saying, "Brother Bin, let's go brush our teeth, ugh."

Tan Wenbin: "You go ahead and swipe it, I'm not going."

Lin Shuyou: "Ah, am I being dramatic?"

Tan Wenbin: "No, I was licking the middle finger."

Lin Shuyou: "..."

After brushing his teeth, Lin Shuyou took out the materials for the mechanical formation and set up the new formation according to the blueprints.

Tan Wenbin treated Yayoi's injuries.

A-Li extracted a piece of blood porcelain and used it to draw white marks on Runsheng's body, guiding him to circulate the Qin Clan's Observing Dragon Technique to resolve the disordered Qi within his body.

Runsheng couldn't understand that you can't draw lines with a pen, and you can't press too hard, or you'll break the skin and bleed. Only A-Li could precisely control the pressure.

Li Zhuiyuan sat there, combining the sensations from the ring scar on his palm with the changes in the sun overhead, to deduce the situation.

Tan Wenbin: "The medicine has been applied. Take these pills. If you have an empty mouth, chew one like candy. There are side effects; eating too many is bad for your kidneys. But if you don't plan to break your vow of celibacy, it doesn't matter."

Yayoi smiled and ate one.

Tan Wenbin: "I noticed this last time in Yuxi. How come you're both so refined and so poor?"

The monk's robes, kasaya, and scepter were excellent, but other items were scarce.

Yayoi: "There are also monks in the herb garden, but my best skill is sweeping, not making medicine."

He inherited the mantle of the orthodox lamplighter of Qinglong Temple, but there are some things he doesn't know, and the orthodox lamplighter had a team around him, which he doesn't.

Tan Wenbin: "How about this, when you go back next time, take out all the things you don't need from your private temple and send them to Nantong. If you need anything in the future, just come to Nantong to pick it up regularly."

Don't worry, even if we break up in the future, I will still regularly mail you the processed supplies.

Yayoi: "Okay."

Ah Li helped Run Sheng regulate his qi and blood, and Run Sheng stopped coughing.

Runsheng felt a little embarrassed. Even if he understood a little bit of the true meaning of the "Qin Family's Dragon-Watching Method," he wouldn't have had to trouble the girl to do this kind of foolish guidance.

Runsheng opened his backpack, took out a can of regular Jianlibao (a popular Chinese herbal tea brand), and handed it to the girl.

His backpack was the largest in the team, and he carried the most supplies.

The girl took it, nodded to Runsheng, sat back down next to the boy, and quietly took out a straw and held it in her hand.

After finishing his deduction, Li Zhuiyuan stretched.

"Pfft!"

The girl opened the beverage can, inserted a straw, and brought it to the boy's lips.

Li Zhuiyuan took a sip.

The girl pulled back and continued drinking, biting the straw herself.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Yayoi, you said you were hiding in a corner with your grandmaster uncle?"

Yayoi: "Yes, when I'm hiding, I'm rarely disturbed."

Li Zhuiyuan: "That was before, when there were many monks."

Yayoi: "You mean, senpai, the rules here will change?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "It's already changing. I can't control the formations and restrictions in the True Lord Temple, but I can sense them. I found that it's shrinking. It should be the outer fog that's moving inward. This Buddhist Asura Field is narrowing."

When the number of monks remaining is not so large, in order to maintain the intensity and efficiency of the fighting, everyone will definitely need to be grouped together and not separated so far apart.

Those who have made a Buddhist vow cannot leave the fog; if they do, their Buddhist nature will be completely drained. Those who have not made a Buddhist vow will also likely find it difficult to leave safely, and on their way out, they may encounter someone who will sweep them into the prize pool.

Those who are confident that they can become the ultimate victor and are on their way to Buddhahood will not let go of any crumbs of bread.

At this moment, Ah Li frowned slightly.

Li Zhuiyuan looked at the girl.

The girl took the boy's hand, looked up, and scanned her surroundings, as if she had sensed something.

Tan Wenbin immediately unleashed his five senses to investigate, but found nothing.

Logically speaking, if Ah Li could sense something, Tan Wenbin couldn't possibly have missed it, unless...

Li Zhuiyuan: "Ali, close your eyes."

The girl closed her eyes.

Li Zhuiyuan tied his wrists to the girl's with a red thread and closed his eyes.

When he opened his eyes again, Li Zhuiyuan found himself in the girl's dream.

Familiar bungalows, dilapidated altars, and cracked memorial tablets.

Initially, Li Zhuiyuan trained his soul power by repeatedly entering A-Li's dreams while lying in a rattan chair with her in the sun. Recently, he hasn't come for a while.

As the boy grew in fame, these evil spirits not only dared not cause trouble, but also feared that the boy would trace their origins back to them through the traces of their past visits.

However, the outdoor area, which should have been sunny and breezy, was now quite gloomy.

Li Zhuiyuan stepped out the door, stood outside, and looked up at the dark cloud overhead.

A figure was faintly visible in the dark clouds.

It's been a long time since we've encountered an evil spirit that dares to provoke us. This time, it came, and not through a curse, but because it was very close in reality and projected into Ah Li's dream.

How could an evil spirit that was once slain by the Dragon King, the ancestor of the Qin and Liu families, actually come here?

Li Zhuiyuan took Granny Yu's white lantern from the crack in the wall, wrapped a red thread around it, and flung it toward the dark cloud overhead.

"Let me see who you really are."

The red thread pierced through the dark clouds, as if it had grasped something. However, this was not a tangible grasp, but rather Li Zhuiyuan deduced it using the red thread.

The boy exerted force downwards, pulling it down from the clouds. A figure bound with red threads fell and crashed into the courtyard.

This is a monk dressed in a black robe. He has no flesh and blood; his body is just a skeleton that glows with a green light.

Li Zhuiyuan carefully observed its differences from the evil spirits of the past. It seemed to be more vibrant, not in a rigid way, but in a different sense, "flesh and blood".

This shows that it has recovered quite well; even if it is not at its peak, it is by no means weak.

Is this a deliberate provocation?
After infiltrating, he even wanted to take revenge on the descendants of the Qin and Liu families?

But if it dared to do this, why did it hide in the clouds above when it came? Shouldn't it have stood boldly and arrogantly outside the door of the bungalow?

Li Zhuiyuan wasn't afraid of evil spirits coming to his door, but the boy was curious about how this evil spirit could be both cowardly and brave.

Suddenly, the skeleton moved; he reached out and grabbed the red thread.

Flesh and blood began to grow continuously on its bones.

This was the first time Li Zhuiyuan had ever seen an evil spirit whose appearance could change in A Li's dream. Moreover, what this evil spirit was doing now was to reverse-engineer himself based on Li Zhuiyuan's deductions about him.

No, this is not something an evil spirit would do. It could come here at any time without needing to go through all this trouble.

"Unless, you, this evil spirit, have no freedom, and though you exist, you cannot be your own master."

That leaves only one possibility: this evil spirit, which clearly has a deep connection with Buddhism, has been suppressed again by a high-ranking monk, and that monk has come here this time as well.

This explains why the evil spirit recovered so well; someone was "feeding" it and actively helping to heal it.

Looking at the changes in its flesh and blood as it continues to grow, it means that it was not used as a tool for sealing, but was instead swallowed up and integrated.

This is to achieve Buddhahood by swallowing a demon that has been nurtured to regain its vitality.

Or perhaps this evil spirit has been coexisting with him for a long time, and he has been cultivating by relying on this evil spirit?
Two beams of light appeared in the empty eye sockets of the evil spirit. Its deductive abilities were extremely strong; it had already locked onto him and was about to begin its analysis.

Li Zhuiyuan raised his hand and disconnected the red thread.

Even as the opponent's flesh and blood growth slowed down, he did not give up. He was very interested in the person who had just performed the deduction on him and continued to perform the reverse deduction.

Li Zhuiyuan can leave here now, but A Li can't. It won't be long before he can track down A Li.

This is a formidable opponent. Just from this remote duel, Li Zhuiyuan can tell that the opponent's strength is probably no less than that of the senior monks of the Kong generation at Qinglong Temple.

Moreover, the high monks of Qinglong Temple still have some sense of shame. This one dared to merge with a great evil spirit that had been killed by the Dragon King, proving that he had no taboos and was likely stronger than a single high monk of the Kong generation.

Yayoi has taken care of one opponent, which was originally seven minus one, but now an even more troublesome one has been added, increasing the difficulty of this wave once again.

Li Zhuiyuan opened his eyes in reality and looked at Yayoi:

“There is a master here who, like you, devours evil spirits.”

Yayoi: "Amitabha, what I swallowed was demonic nature, not evil spirits. It was the masters in the Demon Suppression Tower who voluntarily gave up all their selves and used demonic nature to help me become a demon. If I had swallowed a complete evil spirit, I would not have been able to swallow it, nor would I have dared to."

The evil spirits inside the Demon Suppression Tower treated Yayoi very differently, but this was different from the evil spirits in the Qin family's ancestral home who treated Li Zhuiyuan.

The former was malicious, wanting to take revenge on Qinglong Temple, and deliberately ended his own life, sowing the seeds of disaster for Qinglong Temple;

As for the Qin family's "poor relatives," they are genuinely willing to do good for you, as long as you are outstanding enough.

Li Zhuiyuan: "He swallowed a great evil spirit, and that evil spirit retained its complete self and recovered a lot of its vitality."

Yayoi shook her head regretfully and said, "It's a pity that a master has gone astray."

Tan Wenbin: "Yayoi, how dare you talk about others like that?"

Yayoi: "I did not stray into this place by mistake; this is the path I chose myself."

Li Zhuiyuan: "It shouldn't be long before he can locate us. I'm not sure if he will come looking for us after he has located us."

Upon hearing this, Lin Shuyou quickly set up the formation.

"A-choo, A-choo, A-choo!"

Tan Wenbin sneezed repeatedly. He rubbed his nose, sniffed hard, took out the cloth bag that Yayoi had given him from his pocket, unfolded it, and activated his snake eyes, discovering that the deepest part of the powder was emitting a faint white light.

"Brother Yuan, this thing is moving!"

Li Zhuiyuan immediately asked Yayoi, "Is there any reaction from the ordination scar on your head?"

“No.” Yayoi pondered for a moment. “I understand. Grandmaster Kongxin is skilled in the Dao of Cause and Effect. I saw him use a secret method to conceal part of his half-Buddha perception before, to prevent his side from being surrounded and to create a better situation for them to break through. Moreover, he and Grandmaster Kongfa are sworn brothers. He is using the movement of this relic to locate my position. Senior, the six grandmasters are likely to arrive soon.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Shuyou's Ghost General mark under his headband flashed, and he frantically planted flags and set up formations.

Tan Wenbin weighed the cloth bag in his hand and asked, "If we leave this here and move it, will we be able to get rid of those six people temporarily? It's just a pity for Uncle Li; he's missing a good ingredient for making medicinal wine."

We'll definitely have to face them, but since we know those six are being targeted by Sun Baishen, we'll have to wait until later, weaken them further, and ideally, have a few of them die unexpectedly.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Brother Binbin, you've already considered losing it, so why not take it a step further?"

Tan Wenbin's snake-like eyes lit up.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Misheng, does your grandmaster Kongxin know that you killed Kongfa?"

Yayoi: "Grandmaster Kongxin should only be able to sense the arrival of Grandmaster Kongfa's calamity and his passing away. He might suspect that it was me who made the move, but he cannot be sure that it was me."

Li Zhuiyuan: "So, the person he's tracking isn't you, but the 'real culprit' who killed his junior brother."

Yayoi clasped his hands together and bowed, exclaiming, "Your teachings are truly wondrous. I don't know why, but when I'm with you, I always feel deeply enlightened."

Li Zhuiyuan: "This means you're starting to go astray."

Yayoi corrected, "No, I think it's more about emulating the virtuous."

Lin Shuyou straightened up and let out a long sigh of relief. The formation was finally set up, but he had exhausted himself.

Tan Wenbin: "Ayou, put away the array materials, we need to move."

Lin Shuyou: "..."

Gathering materials is much easier than setting up an array. Lin Shuyou quickly collected all the materials, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and asked Tan Wenbin:

"Brother Bin, I was focused on setting up the formation and didn't hear you clearly. What are we going to do next?"

Tan Wenbin tied a tight knot in the cloth bag containing the relics and ashes, and replied:
"Shifting the blame eastward? A divine intervention? Framing someone else?"

“Mr. Tan, you are mistaken.”

Yayoi spoke up again to correct him:

"This is to invite all the senior masters of Qinglong Temple to descend the mountain and exorcise the demon!"

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Another 2-word chapter tomorrow!
(End of this chapter)