Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 523

"Who is deducing my identity?"

An aged voice murmured to itself.

The withered palm stretched forward, as if grasping an invisible hand.

The eyes, hidden deep within their sockets, gradually enlarged, transforming into two eerie green lights, their interplay of light and shadow creating a mysterious spectacle.

"Snapped!"

The hand, which had been empty to begin with, loosened its grip.

"Hmm, it was severed?"

The fingertips caressed as if calculating; there was almost no flesh beneath the skin, like a thin layer of skin as thin as a cicada's wing attached to white bones.

Or rather, his entire being was a skeleton gleaming with a crystalline sheen, adorned with a few careless touches, retaining the last vestige of human form.

“It’s not that Sun Boshen is deducing me. This Half-Buddha is still alive, but he is already ‘dead’. He won’t care if I see him.”

Anyone who has ever been here will inevitably leave a trace.

A broken thread can be rewoven and pulled along until it finds its true owner.

However, this would take more time, and time is exactly what he needs right now.

But he couldn't suppress his curiosity. He had kept a low profile his whole life, and now, on the verge of death, someone was able to glimpse his deepest secrets?
A crack opened between his brows, like a third eye opening, exuding a strong aura of life and death. This was... the Crack of Life and Death.

Upon closer inspection, a golden ring scar can be found, hidden deep within the crack of the door.

With the help of the Gate of Life and Death operating, the speed of tracing the source was greatly increased.

"Oh, it's not because of me, but because of the skeleton inside me."

It's strange. Before the bone replacement and life extension back then, I clearly performed the most meticulous cleaning on this skeleton, so why is there still karmic residue on it?

No, I only cleaned the outside of the bones, so the cause and effect remain inside the bones.

And who exactly is it that you hate to the core?

"crunch...crunch...crunch..."

A slight grinding sound came from the bone joints, a reaction from the deepest obsession of the skeleton.

"No wonder there has always been a slight imperfection in our fusion, and I have been searching for a way to fill it but have not been able to. It turns out that the way is here."

I can already roughly sense his location. As long as I can kill him, your last obsession will dissipate, and I will completely merge with you and take complete control of you.

Alas, if I had obtained this method earlier, how could I have been bound by my lifespan and forced by the impending death to enter this place and compete for this half-Buddha opportunity?

I could have had the opportunity to attain Buddhahood on my own, but I had to resort to copying others' ideas.

However, it's not too late. With my bones fully developed and a massive infusion of Buddha-nature, I will be able to create a fully developed golden body. At that time, the competition for the Bodhisattva position will no longer be uncertain.

Ha ha,

Through painstaking efforts and a lifetime of hardships, I am destined to become a Buddha in this life!

"Xuanzhen, have you finished the ritual?"

A voice transmission came from outside.

Xuanzhen shook his head helplessly. In front of him were the remains of three high monks who had died and whose Buddhist nature had been drained.

He peeled the skin off his fingertips like peeling a banana, exposing the finger bones completely, and then pierced the bodies of these high monks one by one.

With each thrust and withdrawal, the high monks' flesh and blood rapidly withered, and soon, the three high monks, whose appearance remained dignified even in death, turned into three mummies.

Xuanzhen's skin and flesh received a new round of replenishment, no longer looking like white bones covered with skin, but looking like a well-maintained little old man with plenty of qi and blood.

With a wave of his hand, the stone slab fell away, covering the three mummified corpses, and the door between life and death closed, concealing the shackles of the ordination.

Outside the dilapidated hall stood two elegantly dressed old monks, one holding a pagoda and the other a golden alms bowl. These two items were the treasures of Faping Temple.

Xuan Hui: "Junior Brother Xuanzhen, you really are something. Now that we're here, you should naturally show your fierce and wrathful Vajra form. Even if you want to perform the act of deliverance, you should wait until you become a Buddha, and then we can do it after we return to the temple."

Xuanrun: "Alright, Junior Brother Xuanzhen has been plagued by illness since childhood. He was only relieved after being baptized by Buddhist chants. We Buddhists should be compassionate."

Xuanzhen stepped forward and said apologetically:

"I've kept you two senior brothers waiting."

"Fortunately."

"It doesn't matter."

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Xuanrun and Xuanhui handed the pagoda and golden bowl to Xuanzhen. This was not out of trust to entrust the temple's treasures to him, but rather because the seals on these two treasures had been lifted for their convenience. The person carrying them would have to endure the torment of having their soul suppressed by the two treasures at all times.

Xuanzhen took them, one in each hand, his expression unchanged.

But when I glanced at them out of the corner of my eye, I noticed something was off.

The pagoda was a little too light, while the golden bowl was a little too heavy.

Xuan Hui pulled out a string of broken life tablets from his monk's robe and threw them on the ground: "That lowly beggar monk is finally dead. I never thought that a big beggar could lead a group of little beggars to survive here for so long. It seems that the competition here is nothing more than this. This opportunity to become a Buddha is destined to be Senior Brother Xuan Run's.

Xuanrun: "The Buddha's teachings are natural; junior brother, please do not be attached to appearances."

Xuan Hui: "Senior brother's words are wise, junior brother will remember them."

Of the three, only Xuanrun has a golden head scar, meaning that Faping Temple has officially sent three people this time, Xuanzhen and Xuanhui, to assist Xuanrun in competing for this opportunity.

Just then, a river of blood appeared ahead. The river flowed quietly without obstruction, as if it were guiding the way.

Xuan Run, who had been so calm and collected moments before, said impatiently, "Let's go!"

Xuanzhen chuckled inwardly. Sun Baishen was toying with you like teasing dogs. With just a simple understanding, you would pounce on him as if you had seen a bone.

The three monks moved quickly and soon saw a group of monks fleeing in panic, their robes tattered. None of them had golden ordination scars on their heads, indicating that the one they supported had died, and they themselves dared not stay to compete with the Buddha, so they planned to escape from this place.

Xuanrun: "Amitabha. As members of the Buddhist community, you should have a fearless heart towards the Buddha. You have fallen."

Xuan Hui: "Senior brother, it is our responsibility to enlighten them."

Xuanrun and Xuanhui charged down like two fierce lions into a pack of terrified dogs, beginning their slaughter and enlightenment.

For Xuanrun, everyone here represents the Buddha-nature he needs to achieve enlightenment. How could he allow his own essence to slip away and be wasted?

At this intensity, there's no need to use the temple's most precious treasures. Xuanzhen doesn't need to participate in the battle; he only needs to wait on the sidelines. To prevent the treasures from slipping away during a sneak attack, he also needs to activate the pagoda's aura to conceal himself.

After concealing himself, Xuanzhen opened the crack in the Gate of Life and Death and looked at the pagoda.

A tiny window on the first floor of the pagoda opened, and a wisp of gray, pure air flew out and disappeared into the crack of the Xuanzhen Gate of Life and Death.

This pure energy originates from Xuan Sheng, and should now be called Shi Sheng.

This person possesses a strong affinity with Buddhism and is naturally blessed with good fortune. He is a perfect match for Faping Temple. It was Xuanzhen who framed him and caused him to be expelled from the temple.

On the day Shi Sheng's records were cancelled, the fortune lost by Faping Temple greatly nourished Xuanzhen's Gate of Life and Death. Now, with Shi Sheng's death, this last bit of remnant was also accepted by Xuanzhen.

"Beggar Monk? Ha, if I hadn't schemed to expel Shi Sheng, you, Xuan Run, wouldn't even be qualified to be the senior disciple of this generation."

Even if you don't possess any valuable treasures and have enjoyed the temple's offerings for decades, you still wouldn't be a match for Shi Sheng.

It's quite interesting. I originally thought that Shi Sheng was destined to live to the end, and that I would personally promise to restore his name and command him to pass away peacefully.

I never expected to die so soon after arriving here. It seems the competition here is even fiercer than I anticipated.

Xuanzhen looked at the golden bowl again. Under the crack of the Gate of Life and Death, he could see a layer of water inside. This was the future of Faping Temple, which had also been severed.

He raised the golden bowl, and the invisible liquid fell into the crack of the Gate of Life and Death. With a blink, the third eye became as thick as ink.

"Shi Sheng is indeed a natural fit for Faping Temple. Even the disciples he selected for the temple are all so pure and talented."

It was Xuanzhen who suggested contacting Shisheng, and Xuanzhen himself went to make promises, which persuaded Shisheng to bring his disciples here to contribute to the temple. The purpose was to get them to die here willingly so that he could take another share of Faping Temple's fortune.

"This Fahei-ji Temple truly lives up to its name."

This was Xuanzhen's heartfelt lament. This parasite had been nibbling away at the temple's fortune and ruining its foundation for decades, yet the lineage of Faping Temple remained stable.

Xuanzhen couldn't help but speculate that if he hadn't intervened, Faping Temple might have actually had a chance to challenge Qinglong Temple's position in Buddhism after nearly sixty years.

"Now that I have entered a new realm of the Gate of Life and Death, if I can further push my bones to the Great Perfection, then the Ksitigarbha position will be mine. I can't wait any longer. To ensure that nothing goes wrong, I must immediately guide these two fools to go and find it. I can't let that obsessive person die at the hands of others."

Xuanzhen continued his deductions, and thanks to the new enhancements he received at the Gate of Life and Death, his speed was even faster this time.

However, this already fast speed was immediately increased even more significantly.

Because the severed thread was reconnected from the other end, the pursuit from one direction became a two-way journey.

Xuanzhen:

"You're actually starting to analyze me again?"

Xuan Hui: "Alright, Xuan Zhen, there's no need to hide anymore."

Xuanrun: "It's a good thing that Junior Brother Xuanzhen is so cautious."

The pagoda's halo dissipated, and Xuanzhen stepped out with a smile, saying, "You two senior brothers were too engrossed in enlightening others just now, so you didn't notice that there is also someone in the southwest who needs enlightenment. He is in a panic, like a stray dog. If we don't chase after him in time, he might really run away and go astray."

Xuan Hui: "But why didn't Xuehe give any instructions?"

Xuanzhen: "The blood river we saw earlier should have been the signal, but the second group deliberately used the first group as bait, misleading my two senior brothers."

Xuanrun: "Buddhists resort to such dirty tricks. We should go and enlighten them, and pursue them!"

……

Li Zhuiyuan: "That person's methods remind me of an old friend."

Lin Shuyou: "Brother Xiaoyuan, who is that?"

Li Zhuiyuan glanced at Ayou but did not answer.

Tan Wenbin: "So it was him."

Lin Shuyou: "Oh, so it was him~"

Just now, Li Zhuiyuan entered A Li's dream again to have a second "battle" with that person.

During their first encounter, upon noticing the opponent's "counterattack," Li Zhuiyuan promptly severed the red line.

When Li Zhuiyuan came back in, he found that the red line he had broken was reconnecting in a strange yet familiar way.

Even though the boy knew that the other party had this ability to trace the source, the speed was still far beyond Li Zhuiyuan's expectations.

The boy deliberately spent time observing the skeleton monk in his dream, and found that although the other's eyes, which shimmered with a ghostly green light, possessed strong insight, they were far from reaching this level.

Moreover, the sense of déjà vu grew stronger and stronger.

To verify this feeling, during their second encounter, when Li Zhuiyuan intended to alert the enemy, he deliberately spread out a large number of red lines to wrap around it from all directions, trying to interfere with it. However, the opponent was able to sort everything out in the first place and "capture" its true self, as if it had a third eye, observing the scene from a third-party perspective.

Li Zhuiyuan is not a person who likes to rely on feelings; he strongly dislikes basing his judgments on emotions.

But this time, he intends to make an exception.

Because there's this guy who, whenever he sees me, will use his third eye to scan me closely, paying close attention to any changes in me, and repeatedly beating his chest and stomping his feet in frustration.

After being scanned so many times, and getting used to it, this feeling becomes fixed, transforming from an emotional one into a rational indicator.

Based on this, by working backward from the image of the evil spirit, it can be reasonably embedded.

Most people with a birth defect will die in the womb, and even the very few who are born will die young.

Zhao Yi has suffered from severe rickets since childhood, and he lies in bed like a rag doll every day, struggling with life and death.

Finally, it was Zhao Yi's own stimulation and pressure, or rather, the awakening of his pride as a descendant of Zhao Wuyang, that led him to dig a crack in the door between life and death. From then on, through various fortuitous encounters, he forcibly walked out of the third path between life and death.

What if we skip all these complicated steps and just focus on treating the symptoms for the sake of treating the symptoms?

Can this rickets be resolved through bone replacement?
Then it makes sense that this evil spirit was able to recover its vitality so quickly. It wasn't that it was deliberately fed, but rather that its own "growth and progress" led to the recovery of its bones. They were originally one.

The evil spirit, with its skeletal form and black robe, indicates its connection to Buddhism; the person who merges with it and appears here proves that they are also a member of the Buddhist community.

In stark contrast to Zhao Yi's approach of cutting off one path and opening a new one, this man took the evil path to its extreme.

How lucky must this person be to walk by the river without ever getting their shoes wet?
Li Zhuiyuan was genuinely curious about this other version of "Zhao Yi".

But the boy didn't plan to try it himself; at least not in the first round.

Since he is "Zhao Yi," he should take on Zhao Yi's mission and be the one to take the fall first.

Runsheng handed Yayoi, who was sitting next to him, a compressed biscuit, which Yayoi took and ate.

Immediately afterwards, Runsheng turned around to get the second pack, and handed the coarse incense in his hand to Yasheng to hold it for him.

Yayoi took it and took a bite.

He didn't like eating fragrant food, but his mind was focused on the boy, and he didn't even notice what he was eating.

He knew the boy's purpose, but he was still unclear about the specific methods to carry it out.

Whether it's the mysterious and powerful being the boy mentioned, or his six grandmaster uncles, they are all people who are not easy to fool. How can he ensure the success of diverting this troublemaker to the east?
Tan Wenbin walked to Yayoi's side and said softly, "Master, you are studying very attentively."

Yayoi: "As if reading a new sutra."

Tan Wenbin: "There really is a book called 'The Heart Sutra of Walking Along the River'."

Yayoi: "Amitabha, this name sounds very precious."

Tan Wenbin: "Master, we're like family. Talking about money hurts feelings. Let's barter instead."

Yayoi: "But I have already agreed to donate all the temple's contents to Nantong. Apart from my staff, I have nothing left."

Tan Wenbin: "Then... what about the Demon Suppression Tower?"

Yayoi: "That is where the junior monks live."

Tan Wenbin: "We can relocate and resettle people."

Yayoi remained silent.

Tan Wenbin: "As long as the master agrees, to show our sincerity, we can let you successfully complete your pilgrimage first."

Yayoi: "What worries me is that I am not confident that I will be able to succeed in obtaining it in the end."

Tan Wenbin: "It doesn't matter."

Yayoi: "Yes."

If he succeeds in the end, then Qinglong Temple will no longer need the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda; he, Yayoi himself, will be the new Demon-Suppressing Pagoda.

Li Zhuiyuan took out a set of talismanic armor from his pocket; it belonged to General Zeng.

General Zeng knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Brother Xiao Yuan!"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Now you know what I need you to do, right?"

General Zeng: "Please rest assured, Brother Yuan, I will complete the mission with my life!"

Li Zhuiyuan: "You don't need to die. You only need to lose half of your original essence. Don't worry, it will be the same as before. I will make up for what you lost twice over."

General Zeng: "This subordinate understands!"

The General's Armor in his pocket trembled violently; He too wanted to volunteer for battle.

Li Zhuiyuan reached out and patted his pocket, and General Sun immediately fell silent in fright.

This is a death sentence. In the best-case scenario, you'll lose half of your essence. In the worst-case scenario, you might be caught by some bald monk with profound Buddhist knowledge, who could strip you clean and annihilate you completely.

But the boy has a good reputation; he's never shortchanged anyone who does the work.

Afraid of dying? That's because the price isn't right!
Li Zhuiyuan chose General Zeng because General Zeng had two sets of armor. If one set was lost, the second set could be kept, thus minimizing the cost.

The wordless book was opened, and the first page flew out and landed on General Zeng's face.

General Zeng, with his broad shoulders and thick waist, had the face of a charming woman.

Li Zhuiyuan said, "After it's done, you should go into hiding first, and then find me when the opportunity arises."

General Zeng's eyes were filled with tears, making her look incredibly charming.

She yearns for freedom, but even more so for the trust of a boy; freedom without the boy's restraint is meaningless.

The pages from the wordless book flew out rapidly, sticking to General Zeng's body one by one, gradually changing his appearance and shrinking his physique.

Yayoi watched as General Masaru transformed into another version of herself.

Even the injuries on his body were depicted exactly the same.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Yayoi, why don't you change into a monk's robe?"

Yayoi took off her tattered white monk's robe, which General Masaki took and put on.

At this moment, visually speaking, he resembles Yayoi more than Makoto Yayoi, because this white monk's robe was originally a token bestowed by Seiryu-ji Temple upon the orthodox lamplighter.

Tan Wenbin handed a new monk's robe to Yayoi. Yayoi took it, smelled it, and asked:
"It wasn't taken from the deceased?"

Dead monks are everywhere here; it's easy to strip off a monk's robe.

Tan Wenbin: "I asked Ayou to find one that matched your size. He found someone lying in a pile of dead bodies pretending to be dead. Ayou then traded food and medicine for this monk's robe."

Yayoi smiled and said, "Thank you."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Continue."

General Zeng knelt down before A-Li again and lowered his head.

Ah Li pierced the tip of her left finger and hung it above General Zeng's head, blood dripping down.

The girl kept reaching out with her other hand.

This scene was very familiar to Tan Wenbin and others. When they walked along the river before, Brother Xiaoyuan often made this gesture, which was to mobilize the feng shui power of the surrounding area.

Because of Xiao Yuan's presence, A Li's brilliance was inevitably overshadowed.

But whenever a girl is needed to step up, she never disappoints.

Li Zhuiyuan could carry out this task, but there would inevitably be flaws. Only if A Li does it herself can it be done perfectly.

Li Zhuiyuan spread out his right hand and released the evil dragon.

The ferocious and domineering dragon flew to the girl, but quickly became docile and began to patiently assist her in mobilizing the power of feng shui. The progress noticeably accelerated.

Ah Li first used fresh blood as a foundation, then planted feng shui elements, and finally, the girl cut off a strand of her hair and wrapped it around a candle.

The girl is now attaching herself to General Zeng, which will allow General Zeng to replicate her aura for a period of time.

Yayoi pursed his lips. This kind of ingenious method of performing a ritual in a snail shell deeply impressed him. Only the Liu family could have such exquisite skills.

Li Zhuiyuan looked at Yayoi and asked, "What do you think is still lacking?"

Yayoi: "Opportunity, or, as the saying goes, the east wind."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Both sides can now sense our presence, and we can also sense their presence. We can plan accordingly."

Yayoi: "It's still risky."

Li Zhuiyuan: "This is walking along the river."

Yayoi: "It is because I was attached to appearances."

Tan Wenbin: "It's because the master trusted our Xiao Yuan too much."

Yayoi nodded.

He thought the boy could take everything into account.

Tan Wenbin: "No matter how well the plan is designed, once it starts to be implemented, there will be... over there, someone!"

"Whoosh!"

Lin Shuyou rushed out immediately.

A short while later, Ayou returned, carrying a disheveled middle-aged monk in his hand. The monk was wearing a robe that clearly did not fit him properly.

As Ah-you walked, he cursed, "Hey, hey, hey, you're not really a scout, are you?"

This is the same monk who pretended to be dead that Ah-you exchanged robes with. If it were any other high-ranking monk here, they would have simply ended his life with a blow to the head. Only Ah-you would make a fair trade.

But Ayou is worried that his kindness has been misplaced, causing him to make mistakes at work.

The middle-aged monk cried out in terror, "Don't kill me! Don't kill me! Please, don't kill me!"

Tan Wenbin stepped forward to check and confirmed, "Brother Xiao Yuan, he doesn't have any golden ring scars on his body."

This means that the eminent monk he was assisting, who was vying for Buddhist favor, has already passed away.

Li Zhuiyuan asked, "Are you trying to escape?"

The middle-aged monk said, "Yes, I want to escape."

Li Zhuiyuan: "But this place is not in the direction of the exit."

The middle-aged monk said, "You can't go straight. If you go straight, you'll be killed. You have to observe this gray fog and wait for it to start to narrow before walking close to its edge."

Li Zhuiyuan: "That's very far."

The middle-aged monk said, "Wherever you are destined to go, it is not far."

Yayoi looked at the middle-aged monk with great surprise. The boy had said the same thing, and their group had been walking close to the edge of the gray fog to avoid encountering anyone as much as possible. This was to ensure that when the two people being lured came into contact, they could see each other at a glance and not be disturbed.

Li Zhuiyuan: "What's your name?"

The middle-aged monk said, "My Buddhist name is Suiyuan."

Li Zhuiyuan: "From which temple did it originate?"

"As fate dictates: Ruoan Temple."

Yayoi narrowed her eyes slightly, implying that although she had some fame, she was not a mainstream figure.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Are the elders from your family's temple also vying for this Buddhist affinity?"

Suiyuan smiled wryly and said, "On the first day I came here, my elders were already being offered Buddhist blessings."

Li Zhuiyuan: "How long have you been here?"

Suiyuan: "Today is the tenth day."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Without the protection of your elders, you survived here alone for ten days?"

Although this monk was middle-aged, his level of spiritual cultivation was only enough to catch ghosts and exorcise evil spirits in the secular world. In the current Zhenjun Temple, he was no better than a lamb.

"Yes, that's right. I took many detours before, and only recently discovered the rule of sticking to the edge. Please take a look, senior."

Suiyuan took out a drawing from his monk's robe. It was a hand-drawn map. Li Zhuiyuan took it and glanced at it. It was just a corner of Zhenjun Temple and had no reference value. Moreover, Li Zhuiyuan also found two errors in it.

The boy glanced at Suiyuan out of the corner of his eye and noticed that Suiyuan was also nervously observing him, her micro-expression revealing a hint of struggle.

Li Zhuiyuan put away the map and asked, "Is there anything else we need? Food or medicine?"

He glanced at Lin Shuyou casually.

Lin Shuyou moved his head away, not wanting to show that he knew him.

"I have what I need, I don't lack anything."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Then you can go. I hope you get out of here alive."

"Yes, thank you, senior. Thank you, senior."

Suiyuan ran away, glancing back every few steps, probably afraid that the group would suddenly attack and kill him.

After Suiyuan's figure disappeared from sight, Tan Wenbin took out a cigarette and tapped it on the back of his hand:

"It's back again."

Suiyuan came back again.

This time, as if summoning his courage, he knelt down before Li Zhuiyuan again: "Senior, there are two errors in the map I just gave you."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Oh."

Suiyuan gritted his teeth, took out a brush, dipped it on his tongue, and said, "Please give me some paper, senior. The larger map is in my mind, and I can draw it for you."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Give him some paper."

Runsheng handed him the paper, and Suiyuan lay down on the ground and began to draw quickly.

"Young master, I have finished drawing. Please take a look."

Li Zhuiyuan took the map. The boy was somewhat surprised. Although the drawing was rough and the scale was arbitrary, Suiyuan had actually drawn the entire Zhenjun Temple.

"Have you been to all these places?"

"Yes, I swear, I have personally walked those paths."

"You're incredibly lucky to be alive after running to so many places."

"If I hadn't run so hard, I might have died long ago."

Li Zhuiyuan struggled to read the distorted map, but as he looked at it, he noticed something was wrong.

"Suiyuan, come and look. Between here and here, did you forget to draw a True Lord's Palace?"

Suiyuan leaned over and glanced at it, then immediately burst into tears: "Senior, please understand! This time, I did not intentionally draw the wrong picture. The reason I kept the incomplete picture on me was because I thought that if someone killed me and took the picture, I could use it to kill my enemy. Senior, you are not my enemy."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Think back carefully, did you draw it wrong?"

Suiyuan: "No, absolutely not!"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Okay, I believe you."

Suiyuan: "Senior, is there something wrong with you?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "There is no wall or Zhenjun Temple between us."

"It's impossible, absolutely impossible to have less."

Li Zhuiyuan: "If I said it was too little, then it was too little."

Suiyuan hesitated for a moment and asked, "Young senior, why are you so sure?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Because I've been here before."

The layout of the Zhenjun Temple is like a mosquito coil, with one circle inside another. The outermost circle is the Zhenjun Hall, which guards the gate, and the innermost circle is the Bodhisattva Hall of Sun Baishen.

Although the Zhenjun Temple was dead when I last visited, it is alive now. No matter how many changes there are, the old layout and foundation will not change.

The reason why Li Zhuiyuan did not believe that Suiyuan was deceiving him was that what had disappeared on the map was the Pudu Zhenjun Temple.

Pudu Zhenjun is the human form of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. From Sun Boshen's perspective, if he were to choose a place in the Zhenjun Temple to launch a final struggle for the throne with Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and completely settle the grievances between them, the most suitable and symbolic place would be the Pudu Zhenjun Hall.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Thank you."

Suiyuan: "I...I...Senior, you're too kind."

Li Zhuiyuan: "If you can leave here alive, then wait for me on the main island."

"Okay, young senior."

Suiyuan got up, first bowed to Li Zhuiyuan, then bowed to Lin Shuyou, and ran away again, this time without looking back.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Let's eat something and rest a bit in the last little bit of time."

While everyone rested, Li Zhuiyuan planned the next route.

The girl stood beside him, occasionally offering him cookies and water.

"Alright, now let's make the final adjustments and moves."

The fluorescence changes of the relic powder and the intensity changes of A-Li's dream perception can be used to calculate the distance between the two sides. In order to ensure that the two sides can meet at a suitable point, the group moves in both directions under Li Zhuiyuan's command, sometimes advancing and sometimes retreating.

The main problem is that neither side is rushing blindly on their way; they'll likely encounter monks and deal with them as they go. You can't predict the exact coordinates like you would with a math problem.

Once the distance was within a controllable margin of error, Li Zhuiyuan lit the candle wrapped around A Li's hair. A Li shut herself off and fell into a deep sleep in the boy's arms.

Li Zhuiyuan took out a sealing talisman and stuck it between the girl's eyebrows. The evil dragon continued to circle around the girl, eliminating the last traces of its energy.

Tan Wenbin opened the cloth bag and poured all the relic powder inside into General Zeng's mouth.

Li Zhuiyuan: "General Zeng."

"Eeya ya ya ya~ This humble general departs!"

General Masayu, now transformed into Yayoi, charges in one direction on Li Zhuiyuan's orders, where He will guide both sides to meet.

Yayoi looked at Li Zhuiyuan. According to the plan, the boy should lead everyone to move away as soon as possible and get away from the area that the two sides might sweep through when they pass by.

If a mistake is made here, all the previous arrangements will be in vain.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Yayoi, I remember when you were talking about timing, you also mentioned the east wind?"

Yayoi: "It's just a metaphor."

Li Zhuiyuan: "There's only a little time left. How about we try to borrow the east wind?"

Yayoi: "Huh?"

Suddenly, Yayoi sensed a clear killing intent directed at her from the boy.

After a brief moment of surprise, Yayoi understood, clasped her hands together, opened her demonic eyes, and directed her killing intent directly at Li Zhuiyuan.

Tan Wenbin didn't move, a cigarette between his fingers, observing the changes around him.

Runsheng picked up the Yellow River shovel and stood in front of Xiaoyuan.

Lin Shuyou glanced at Bin Ge and then at Runsheng, pulled out a golden mace and pointed it at Yasheng, while placing the other golden mace behind his back to scratch his itch.

Li Zhuiyuan: "There's no wind."

Yayoi: "Yes, senpai."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Let's all be more serious and make one last attempt."

Yayoi: "Young monk understands."

Li Zhuiyuan suppressed his emotions, forcibly summoning the state he was in when he was having an episode, and looked at Yayoi with cold eyes.

Feeding him might help destroy the Azure Dragon Temple in the short term, but he could very well become another huge threat that I have to deal with in the future, or even become a tool for Heaven to use against me, an enemy that I have personally nurtured.

Yayoi's demonic eyes expanded outwards, and demonic patterns covered her entire face.

The existence of the boy before him, whether in the past, present, or future, has brought him immense pressure. Even if he were to completely succumb to demonic possession in the future, he would most likely become a stepping stone for the boy to prove himself to the world.

If the two sides were merely feigning murderous intent before, now they are genuinely contemplating killing each other.

“Gulp…Gulp…Gulp…”

Blood seeped out from between the cracks in the floor tiles, turning into a river of blood that enveloped the area where the two sides were located.

Li Zhuiyuan suppressed his illness, and his gaze softened.

Yayoi's Mystic Eyes quickly retracted, but in the end, it was a bit difficult to retract them. Fortunately, he managed to press them back in. Sweat poured from his face as he panted heavily.

"As expected of a senior, even entering a demonic state is easier for you than for this humble monk."

Li Zhuiyuan: "It might not be happy if you say that."

Yayoi was puzzled, but she didn't ask any further questions.

Looking at the environment surrounded and enveloped by the river of blood, Lin Shuyou realized:

"Brother Xiao Yuan, have you discovered a pattern here? Is it really that simple?"

Tan Wenbin: "Because it doesn't need to be too complicated."

Lin Shuyou: "But, if there are two people with golden scars, wouldn't they be able to work together?"

Tan Wenbin: "Of those who make a Buddhist vow, only one can survive in the end. Guess how many people can resist the urge to take the act seriously?"

Lin Shuyou: "That's true."

Tan Wenbin: "Also, it seems that the Buddhist vows are not sequential and can be made at any time."

In our team, only Brother Xiaoyuan can mobilize Buddhism to sign the agreement, but the other teams are basically all monks. The closer we get to the end, the closer the temptation to Buddhahood becomes. Guess how many of those who were originally there to assist can hold on to their original intentions and not sign the Buddhist vows to stab us in the back?

Rules don't need to be perfect, they just need to be useful.

Yayoi: "What Don Don Tan said is exquisite."

Tan Wenbin winked at Yayoi: "These insights are copied from the Heart Sutra. There are plenty of them in there."

Yayoi: "After returning to the temple this time, I will speed up the demolition and resettlement."

The Blood River's envelopment would last for a while, which meant that Li Zhuiyuan and the others didn't need to rush to relocate at such a risk.

Tan Wenbin: "They're coming from the east. Master, is your Qinglong Temple really that arrogant? They're actually going in separate directions."

The profound strength and grandeur of the top forces in the martial arts world were on full display here. The six high monks of the Kong generation did not form a single team, but rather each maintained a considerable distance from the others, sweeping across the land like a plow.

This clearly shows that they are not afraid of giving you a chance to pick them off one by one. They are fearless in one-on-one combat, and even if they are surrounded, they are confident that they can hold their ground and wait for their companions to arrive, allowing them to attack from the center.

Yayoi: "If your elders were here, I feel that I would only become more... more confident."

A high-ranking monk from Qinglong Temple passed by not far from the area surrounded by the Blood River. The oppressive aura emanating from him and the naturally generated chanting could penetrate into the Blood River, allowing those inside to feel it.

An ordinary monk might have been waiting outside the Blood River Encirclement for a chance to scavenge, but they disdained doing that. The formation of each Blood River Encirclement simply reduced the number of prey they had to deal with, saving them energy. Besides, they had more important things to do right now.

Not long after the six eminent monks of Qinglong Temple left, the sound of rain could be heard outside. How could it rain naturally inside Zhenjun Temple?

Xuan Hui: "Junior Brother Xuanzhen, aren't you just wasting Buddhist power for nothing?"

Xuanzhen turned the golden bowl upside down, and the rain was generated by this magical artifact. He explained:
“These monks are cunning. Junior brother only hopes that senior brother Xuanrun can obtain the most Buddhist affinity and achieve the highest level of enlightenment. It is worthwhile to expend more Buddhist power to thoroughly eliminate any who have escaped.”

Xuanrun: "Junior Brother Xuanzhen is so thoughtful. I will remember this worldly bond, and I will never forget it even after I become a Buddha!"

Xuanzhen: "Thank you, Senior Brother!"

Xuan Hui: "In such a remote place, there are still people fighting?"

Xuanzhen: "They won't be done anytime soon. Let's go and enlighten the others first."

Xuanrun: "Good."

Li Zhuiyuan sat on the ground, with the sleeping A-Li resting her head on the boy's lap.

Without the cover of this river of blood, the risk of our many people safely relocating would be extremely high. These high and mighty guys would easily take care of any lone small fry they find. If they don't manage to take care of them easily, then they'll have to switch to their real weapons.

Upon reaching the designated location, General Zeng slowed down, opened his hand, and words appeared on his paper palm—a cheat sheet from the "Evil Book." It even thoughtfully displayed numbers: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6…

General Zeng glanced at the lines one last time, clenched his fist, and rushed toward the direction from which the rain was coming, where three monks were walking.

Xuan Hui: "They actually dare to charge at us?"

Xuanrun: "His remorse is commendable; enlighten him."

Xuanzhen's brow furrowed. Yes, it was this person!
Fearing that Xuan Hui and Xuan Run would act first, Xuan Zhen smashed the pagoda out directly this time.

General Zeng hadn't expected his opponent to unleash such a terrifying killing move in their very first exchange. Fortunately, he had already delivered his one and only line beforehand:

"I, Yayoi, swear to avenge my grandmaster!"

"boom!"

In another direction, six eminent monks from Qinglong Temple gazed into the distance.

They saw Yayoi, dressed in a white monk's robe, being shattered by a pagoda amidst a roar, leaving no trace of his body. Only the white dust formed from the relics of his disciple Kūfō floated in the air.

Xuanzhen breathed a sigh of relief. Good, it was him who killed him. But before he could check whether the fusion of the skeletons had reached its perfect state, the powerful aura of the Six Paths suddenly erupted.

This time, a sea of ​​blood appeared, surrounding both sides.

"call."

Li Zhuiyuan blew out the candle, tore off the talisman from A Li's forehead, and the girl slowly opened her eyes.

The river of blood surrounding them was slowly receding. The young man looked at the churning sea of ​​blood in the distance and smiled.
"Let's go watch the dogs fight."

(End of this chapter)