Netherworld Painted Skin Scroll

Chapter 368 Beast Kingdom

...To rule the world?
Xue Baoping slowly exhaled in her heart: "Li Wuxiang, didn't you say before that your Nascent Soul had three flowers, but actually there's only one..."

Li Wuxiang immediately raised his hand to cover his ears: "I won't listen, don't talk nonsense! Think about what I just said, and just listen to whatever I say. I have truly achieved the Three Flowers Gathering at the Top!"

After saying this, he frowned and thought silently for a while. Still feeling something was amiss, he simply sat cross-legged on the ground again, chanting incantations: "My three energies have converged at the top of my head! My three energies have converged at the top of my head! I am about to release my Yang spirit! I am about to release my Yang spirit! I am about to become a true immortal! I am about to become a true immortal! I will unify the world, rule the universe, possess boundless magical power, and live as long as heaven!"

Xue Baoping and Li Guichen exchanged a glance, unsure of what to say. Before, Xue Baoping might have thought Li Wuxiang was still captivated, but now she wondered if he was also using this method to become stronger.

However, "ruling the world," "unifying the world," "living as long as heaven"... none of these words sound like something a serious Li Wuxiang would say!

She was really afraid he would go crazy and lose his mind, so as soon as he finished reading, she quickly asked, "Okay, okay, I won't talk nonsense anymore. Li Wuxiang, what do we do now? You said you were going to refine the Great Perfection Supreme Body for Xu Zhen. What is that?"

Li Wuxiang then lowered his hands from his ears: "Oh, that? Haha. That thing is interesting. Do you want to see it?"

Before the two could speak, he immediately raised his arms.

Behind the enormous throne, two torches shot up high with a whoosh, almost becoming a pillar of fire reaching straight into the sky. Suddenly, Xue Baoping and Li Guichen could see clearly what was hidden in the darkness behind the throne and understood why the palace was built so grandly!
There stood an enormous figure, towering and filling the entire wall. It looked like a massive suit of armor, the kind worn by giants as tall as small mountains. However, its appearance was slightly peculiar—the helmet was the largest part, taking up almost a third of its body. Its design was similar to the disciples of the Divine Blade Sect outside, but it had thick horns on its head with inward-growing serrations, resembling the fangs of an ant.

The armor's breastplate was small, and the waist was slender, less than half the size of the helmet. The skirt, however, widened considerably, almost reaching the size of a head. It had two feet—it was only upon seeing the feet that the two realized this might not be armor…because the thin legs and feet, covered in black armor, indicated a stable stance. All six arms hung at their sides, but each held a black sword, the blade as wide as a person's height.

"This is...this is the...body of the Great Accomplishment Supreme? Prepared for Xu Zhen?! How can it be so big!"

Li Wuxiang laughed: "Remember when we were watching the ants outside the door? There was one ant in a group that was particularly big, more than ten times the size of the smaller ants. You told me then that it was one of the other ants that had infiltrated. What did I tell you?"

Xue Baoping was stunned for a moment, then remembered the scene from that time. However, Li Wuxiang spoke of this matter with a very calm expression, but when she thought of it, her mind went blank for a moment, as if the dripping eaves, the moss on the steps, the smell of the soil, the dampness... all these things had turned into smells and suddenly rushed towards her.

I remember all of this, but why did I feel before that it was no longer... no longer...?

"Miss Xue, don't think such things!" Li Wuxiang suddenly shouted.

Xue Baoping suddenly came to her senses and realized that the hall had undergone subtle changes. The floor was wet, moss had grown on the new stone floor, and wisps of water mist floated in the dark sky, quickly dissipating.

Here, within the range of Xu Zhen's supernatural powers, he concentrated and realized that, just as Li Wuxiang had said, it would indeed change the present world!

She realized she shouldn't be thinking about it, but remembering that Li Wuxiang had just said "random thoughts," she felt inexplicably annoyed and sighed, "I know. I remember now. The all-blind leafcutter ant, isn't it? Fellow Daoist Li said back then that if a group of ants had a good living environment and many of them, they would breed such big ones."

"Yes, that's it. It's a pity that Xu Zhen, that idiot, doesn't understand. Haha!" Li Wuxiang released his arm, and the firelight dimmed again, and the huge body disappeared into the darkness once more.

“I told him, ‘Brother, think about it. Since you are the reincarnation of the Ninth Prince and the True Lord of the Wei River, is it possible that we are also the reincarnation of the Great Emperor Gouchen of the West?’ He was self-aware and said that he had already obtained one predestined relationship in the past, so how could he have any more good fortune? He told me not to blaspheme the Great Emperor Gouchen.”

“I told him—bullshit, how could you possibly know this? This is what I was talking about—brother, it doesn’t matter, since you are the reincarnation of the True Lord of Wei River and have come to the mortal world, why not try to worship a spirit and invite the Great Emperor Gouchen down?”

"The Dharma body of the True Lord of the Wei River is the Great Accomplishment Supreme Being. If this Dharma body is offered up, perhaps it can bear the descent of the Great Emperor—"

Xue Baoping couldn't help but say, "What kind of logic is this? Why can the physical body of the True Lord of the Wei River bear the descent of the Great Emperor? And you... you insult him, doesn't he get angry?"

Li Wuxiang raised an eyebrow: "How did I insult him? I didn't insult him."

"you……"

Li Guichen stamped his deer hoof on the ground and shook his head. Xue Baoping was slightly taken aback and then fell silent.

Li Wuxiang sighed: "Brother, you must remember what I said, don't let yourself be tainted with beastly habits—Miss Xue, don't interrupt, I was just about to say this—this matter is indeed unreasonable. The idea that offering up the body of the True Lord of the Wei River would allow the Great Emperor Gouchen to descend to earth was just something I said casually. But as soon as I said it, Xu Zhen started to think about it. Now that he's thinking about it, it's become true for him. Since it's become true, then of course he thinks it makes sense."

"That's why I've repeatedly told you two not to overthink things. I've planted the seed of delusion in Xu Zhen's mind. We're both currently within his supernatural powers, which is essentially a state of delusion. You two have already entered this tribulation. If you're not careful, you might lose sight of reality, and your cultivation could be completely destroyed—where was I? Right, bearing the descent of the Great Emperor..."

He frowned and paused for a moment: "By the time this body is truly refined, I will have already finished 'blowing the wind' on him. When he sees this thing, he will wonder if he is really the reincarnation of Emperor Gouchen—he can no longer control his supernatural powers. When he thinks about it again, ha, I don't know what will happen, but I really want to see, to see if he can withstand turning himself into Emperor Gouchen!"

Xue Baoping wasn't sure about his current state and didn't speak for a moment. Li Guichen then said, "That's a good idea. But how are you going to refine this... Great Perfection Supreme Body? You just told Xu Zhen you were going to use the two of us to refine it. Did you actually use people to refine it before?" Li Wuxiang frowned, "It's strange that you're asking me this—do you think I would do such a thing? Aren't you the one who knows me best? I'm not refining anything! It's all a lie. I've just been whispering in his ear. Once I'm done, I'll tell him it's done!"

"Is he you?!" Xue Baoping finally couldn't help but ask, "Is Li Guichen you?"

Li Wuxiang was taken aback, then looked at Li Guichen: "What, you didn't tell her?"

The Bucks shook their heads: "I don't know if you'd like to say it or not."

“There’s nothing wrong with that. She’s always felt that I’m not in good spirits, and knowing this will actually make her less worried.” Li Wuxiang looked at Xue Baoping. “That’s right, it’s me. He might not be happy if I say this, but that’s really how it is—I didn’t tell you about this before because I was afraid you’d worry. But thinking about it now, my thoughts back then were quite strange. This story has to start from Mount Dajie.”

There were many details, but Li Wuxiang had told her most of them before, so all that was needed now was a few more words. Xue Baoping listened while glancing at Li Guichen, but seeing that he didn't say anything else, she knew that Li Wuxiang was right.

After he finished speaking, he asked, "And then what? You left with the flesh and blood that the Lord of Fate gave me, and then what? You subdued them?"

What Li Wuxiang just said didn't seem to make Li Guichen happy—he was standing there, with his own thoughts and beliefs, but there were two thoughts in his mind: I didn't exist before, but I was indeed real before.

He simply said, "That's my own business, and it's not convenient to say more for now."

Li Wuxiang laughed: "Alright, then that's your own business. But you should at least tell me what skills you have now, right? Since you're here to help, I'd like to know what you're capable of."

Li Guichen swayed slightly and transformed back into human form, a move that startled Li Wuxiang. He raised his hand and patted Xue Baoping's head again, and she transformed back into human form.

"I helped her break her spell and can save some people. But if it's a battle of magic, I can't help you."

Li Wuxiang nodded and let out a sigh of relief: "I understand. You left with the flesh and blood of the True Lord of Fate. His incarnation was killed by Mei Qiulu and me, but you stayed behind. That's remarkable, Old Li. If that's the case, you've stolen a bit of the True Lord of Fate's power, so your supernatural ability is saving people?"

Li Wuxiang took a step forward, and suddenly raised his hand. Before Xue Baoping could even see it, Li Guichen's right hand was severed at the wrist.

She was stunned, and before she could come to her senses, Li Guichen had already picked up her hand and pressed it heavily on her severed wrist: "You weren't like this before. You wouldn't do something like this."

Li Wuxiang remained silent, only staring at Li Guichen's wrist. Once Li Guichen released it and saw that it was fully restored, he laughed: "Just kidding. Since I know what you're capable of, I'm just taking a look—it's like if you punch me, you can't say that the punch might hurt me, can you?"

Li Guichen shook his head: "I helped her out of her trance, and I can help you out of yours too. You wouldn't have done this before. I'm not saying you cut off my hand, but rather that some of those people outside—after turning into beasts, have lost their minds and are devouring each other. Although this is Xu Zhen's supernatural power, you also brought it on—you've harmed people. Do you want me to help you out of your trance? You're not a demon, you're human."

Li Wuxiang smiled: "I knew you'd bring this up. Don't you find it strange that some people turn into jackals, some into snakes and rats, and some into kittens—what makes them transform?"

He patted his chest: "Don't worry, brother. Xu Zhen didn't really become a god. His supernatural powers also need something to activate them. These people become what they are in their hearts. They are wolves, snakes, and rats by nature."

Li Guichen shook his head: "To be able to come here in this world, actually..."

"Actually what? Not too bad, right? But that's compared to others. Just think about Lao Guo—the one we met on the road after leaving Jinshui. He's a swordsman now, so he's cleared his name. But you haven't forgotten what he wanted to do back then, have you? He wanted to kill me. Was this the first time he'd done something like that? No. What made him become a swordsman? He died once in Deyang, and I consider that his death atoning."

Li Wuxiang walked a few steps away with his hands behind his back: "If these people don't deserve to die, then those others who died at their hands shouldn't have died either, right? If you think there's even one of these beasts in the mountains who hasn't shed the blood of ordinary people, just tell me—just one word and I'll immediately drag them over one by one and judge right from wrong."

Li Guichen's lips moved, but he only sighed.

"Alright, stop thinking about that. Think about these people from a different perspective. They've become beasts, but they're still alive. Those creatures you saw devouring on the road were all morally corrupt; not a single one of them was good. As for the rest, if Xu Zhen can turn back after I subdue him, I'll make them turn back. If they can't—they can still live and reproduce in the mountains, and their offspring can support many people. Wouldn't that be considered early reincarnation? Old Li, what they did in the past makes it reasonable for them to be reborn as animals in their next life, right?"

Li Guichen waved his hand: "Alright, whatever. That's not what I meant—I said I can help you out of this mystery!"

Li Wuxiang chuckled: "I'm not obsessed. If remembering who I used to be considered obsessed, then there are far too many people who are obsessed. Besides, even if I were obsessed, so what? Apart from thinking that I used to be a demon, what else makes a difference? Alright, let's not get hung up on this now. There's more important stuff to do—I really do need your help."

"Actually, we still haven't found the people from the Divine Blade Sect. We don't know where they've hidden. I've put together a dragon body using some other things, but the more real stuff, the better—I need to keep Xu Zhen occupied. These next few days, you guys help me search for the Divine Blade Sect. Ideally, you should find their sect's most prized possession before I fight Xu Zhen. That way, my chances of winning will be much greater."

"Here, one plaque for each of you. You're now the Golden Brothers... oh, no, these are the Founding Brothers. As long as you don't run into Xu Zhen, you can do whatever you want. Alright, the door's right across the street. You can go out now. I'll continue refining Immortal Xu's Great Perfection Supreme Body here, hahaha!"

(End of this chapter)