Minglong

Chapter 265: Done?

"Gujiguji~"

The mountain wind howled on the snowy cliff. Coal Ball squatted at the entrance, tilting his head to look at the black-clad heroine, trying to remind her that it was time to feed her dinner.

Nangong Ye pricked up his ears to listen to the sounds inside the deep tunnel. He clearly wasn't trying to eavesdrop on what his beloved apprentice and her boyfriend were doing, but rather he was worried that something might have happened to the three of them underground, or that they were about to come out so he could quickly hide.

Bu Yuehua could follow along openly, but because the sassy Taoist nun dared not meet the king, she was dragged behind to play hide-and-seek. She was quite speechless and obviously had no mood to play hide-and-seek with him. She was just taking Coal Ball's place and hiding on the snow cliff to keep watch.

The endless mountains were covered in snow, and not a single bird could be seen in sight. Bu Yuehua didn't expect to meet anyone here.

However, just as she was getting bored, she suddenly noticed a small black dot appearing beneath the majestic snow-capped peak.

?

Bu Yuehua snapped back to reality, squinting as she observed from the shadows. She spotted a figure emerging from the snowfield below, examining the tracks left by the sword-wielding monster, before silently drifting towards the snow cliff. She lowered her voice in surprise.

"somebody is coming."

"Ok?"

Nangong Ye raised his eyes, but couldn't see anyone due to the angle. Seeing Bu Yuehua quietly sliding down from above, he signaled Meiqiu to be patient, and together they quietly descended along the snow cliff, disappearing into the shadows.

After a moment.

Huhu~
The monk Xuyin, carrying a nine-ringed staff, silently peered out from beside the snow cliff, following the footprints left by the savage, and explored the groove below.

Inside the recess was a tunnel, and there was a large, jet-black eagle perched on the edge of the cliff, contemplating life. It was undoubtedly Xie Jinhuan's spirit pet.

The monk Xuyin carefully sensed that the tunnel was very deep, and Xie Jinhuan should be going deep inside. Therefore, he took out a Bodhi seed with his right hand, trying to deal with the sentry first.

But before he could make a move, a sense of dread crept into his heart, and his gaze quickly shifted downwards towards the snow cliff.

Boom——

At that very moment, a burst of bluish-white lightning erupted from the dark, sunless depths of the snow cliff!

A three-foot-long green sword, carrying the power of thunder, tore through the air, tearing through the rock walls in its path. It arrived within arm's reach before giving anyone a chance to react!
"upbraid--!"

Upon seeing this, the monk Xuyin was terrified. With a roar, he was surrounded by golden bells and transformed into a fierce Vajra.

The next instant, a lightning bolt as thick as a bucket, guided by the flying sword, shattered the rocks and landed on the golden bell phantom. Hundreds of lightning bolts instantly erupted from the snowy cliff, carrying with them a shower of rubble and snow.

The monk Xuyin's figure also rose into the air and hovered on the snow slope. His tin staff spun in his hand, making a crisp 'ding' sound. At the same time, golden Buddhist light bloomed in the sky, illuminating the entire snow peak in an instant. His demeanor was like that of a Buddha descending to earth.

Nangong Ye and Bu Yuehua, who had been hiding beneath the snow cliff, also appeared at the same time. They rose into the air one on the left and one on the right, their veils and cloaks fluttering in the wind. The magic sword that flew out first drew a semi-circle in the air and hovered beside Nangong Ye.

A chilling, imposing aura also emerged from beneath the veil:

"Abbot Xuyin? How dare you!"

woohoo...

The deathly silent snow-capped peak was instantly enveloped by a tense atmosphere of impending battle.

When the monk Xuyin went out to do shady things, he was actually wearing a black cloak.

However, there are only a few dozen top-grade cultivators in the Great Qian Dynasty. They are either leaders of various states or heads of large forces. Once they make a move, it is too easy to confirm their identities.

Suddenly struck by a lightning sword, even though the monk Xuyin couldn't see the face under the black veil, he knew that the woman was Nangong Ye, the head of Zihui Mountain.

But a super-grade female cultivator wearing a hood was floating beside him, which was really beyond his expectations.

Seeing that the situation was not going well, the monk Xuyin hesitated for a moment, then first raised his left hand and placed it in front of his chest in a Buddhist salute:

"So it is Sect Leader Nangong. I heard some strange noises just now and thought that there were evil spirits causing trouble, so I came to investigate. Please forgive me for any disturbance."

This excuse is quite reasonable, after all, Xie Jinhuan's actions just now were quite loud, and local supermarkets also have the obligation to patrol.

However, the appearance of Abbot Xuyin of Jing'an Temple in Liangzhou in a remote, uninhabited area far from the mortal world can truly be described as suspicious.

Moreover, Nangong Ye acted hastily because he saw that the other party wanted to target the coal ball, and he was 90% certain that this monk had a big problem.

If it were a normal person, they would have taken him down first, but Monk Xuyin was no ordinary person.

The Buddhist fourth stage, "Bath in Fire," is a transformative phase that connects to the third stage, "Vajra," and leads to the fifth stage, "Dharmakaya." The body is reshaped from the inside out as if through fire.

The Zen school specializes in defensive techniques, and to put it simply, their current state is characterized by the constant presence of "Immovable Vajra Zen," remaining in a state of invulnerability to all dharmas at all times.

The four realms of Taoism are called 'Heavenly Secrets', while those of the Witchcraft Sect are called 'Divine Descent', because they share the same origin and both greatly enhance the ability to control heaven and earth, and promote the arts of the Five Elements and the spells of the soul.

The Zen school, relying on its Buddhist aura, is almost immune to this.

A top-tier martial artist can use the "Breaking Evil" divine power to ignore the invincible golden body and directly attack the soul, gaining an advantage in the same realm. However, Bu Yuehua has just been seriously injured, so it is quite risky for her to take the lead in chiseling this iron turtle.

Bu Yuehua held her sword and observed for a moment, then glanced at the crevice in the snow cliff. She was clearly preparing to wait for Xie Jinhuan to come out before joining forces to take down this bald monk.

But Monk Xuyin wasn't stupid. He came alone on this trip to test Xie Jinhuan's reaction and give Shen Jinyu an opportunity to assassinate him.

Two exceptionally strong opponents suddenly appeared on the other side, their strength far exceeding expectations. A direct confrontation would inevitably result in heavy losses for them. Their only option now is to find a way to divide and conquer the enemy one by one.

Thinking of this, Monk Xuyin pondered for a moment, then suddenly raised his hand and unleashed a palm strike. The golden Buddhist seal pressed down on the two of them like Mount Tai.

Boom——

Nangong Ye and Bu Yuehua immediately dodged, and the monk Xuyin also took the opportunity to flee wildly towards the distant mountains, leaving a golden line in the mountains, like a golden meteor disappearing with the wind.

Seeing that the monk with unclear intentions wanted to escape, Nangong Ye and Bu Yuehua naturally gave chase from the left and right. Relying on their superb mobility, they caught up with the monk Xuyin in the blink of an eye and launched a joint attack.

Boom boom——

Faced with the powerful attack, Monk Xuyin simply used his golden bell to protect himself and flew towards the distant mountains with his head down. In the blink of an eye, he had already covered dozens of miles.

Meanwhile, commotion was also heard inside the mountain.

Tread...  

Xie Jinhuan swiftly passed through the narrow tunnel and arrived near the surface. In the distance, he could see a sky filled with golden light and lightning outside the exit, rapidly moving away from it.
"Are they Buddhists?"

Linghu Qingmo, with a special bag filled with Mingjin Sand hanging from his waist, cautiously observed:
"They are indeed Buddhists. Why would they be fighting with the Taoists?" Zhao Ling, carrying a single-edged sword, looked quite puzzled.

"Judging from the momentum, everyone's buying top-tier items. Be careful."

Xie Jinhuan could only confirm that one of them was Bing Tuozi. For safety reasons, he told the two of them to stay put and stand guard, while he took the Heavenly Mace and leaped over the cave entrance.

Because the situation was unclear, Xie Jinhuan was not careless at all and was on guard against possible ambushes along the way.

Unexpectedly, there really was a cunning old man outside.

Just as he was about to slip out of the crack, the possessed ghost suddenly reminded him in his mind:

"Beware!"

Boom——

At the same time, the top of the snow cliff more than ten feet away exploded. A ghostly figure attacked without warning, but its speed was faster than lightning. Almost as soon as the commotion occurred, it had already smashed through the rock wall and was within three feet away!
The ghostly figure arrived too quickly, leaving Xie Jinhuan no time to think. However, relying on his combat instincts honed over many years, Xie Jinhuan still managed to unleash his protective aura and simultaneously raise his Heavenly Mace to protect the central gate.

clang--

The next instant, blinding sparks burst forth from the snow cliff, and a huge groove was carved into the cliff face.

On the sheer cliff face, a hundred-foot-long sword mark also appeared, pointing diagonally downwards!
Amidst the flying rocks, blood and even fragments of white robes scattered into the air as the sword light vanished.

Xie Jinhuan, who had not yet jumped out of the cave, was thrown off the cliff below due to the collapse and flipping of the mountain.

"Thank you, Jinhuan!"

Linghu Qingmo and Zhao Ling were waiting in the rear, but before they could even catch a glimpse of Xie Jinhuan, who had not yet left the tunnel, they discovered that he had been hit by something and turned into a kite with a broken string. Their faces turned deathly pale instantly.

Nangong Ye and Bu Yuehua, who were chasing after the monk Xuyin, noticed the commotion and turned around. They found that Xie Jinhuan had been severely injured and crashed into the cliff face, his eyes filled with rage. They immediately turned back.

Meanwhile, Wei Jili and He Tianqi, who were lying in ambush on the distant mountain, excitedly pounded their palms upon seeing this:

"It's done!"

"I thought this kid would be hard to kill, but now it seems he's not so difficult. Shen Jinyu truly deserves to be the strongest assassin in the Great Qian Dynasty..."

……

The reason for the immediate celebration was that the two of them were overseeing the battle from a distance and could see it clearly.

Shen Jinyu was an assassin by trade, specializing in stealth and the art of killing with a single blow. The reason he sent the monk Xuyun to scout ahead was to secretly hide and look for an opportunity.

Although the opponent's lineup exceeded expectations, the two still cooperated very well. The monk Xuyin lured the tiger away from the mountain, while Shen Jinyu secretly lay in wait for the prey to take the bait.

Xie Jinhuan then appeared as expected, and his reaction to the sudden attack from behind the wall was incredibly fast.

However, Shen Jinyu's skill level was clearly superior, and since the assassination was carried out from the shadows, there was no room for maneuver.

Even though Xie Jinhuan managed to raise his mace in time to block the decapitating sword, Shen Jinyu still managed to slice through the white robe, soft armor, and left chest.

Severing the heart meridian would kill an ordinary person on the spot, and even if a cultivator had strong enough vitality, they would be seriously injured, and the damage to their meridians would inevitably cause them to lose most of their combat power.

In this situation, Xie Jinhuan alone could not possibly stand against Shen Jinyu. As long as the reinforcements were dealt a fatal blow before they arrived, Xie Jinhuan would be doomed.

Shen Jinyu was clearly a professional assassin. He only showed his shadow from beginning to end. After his attack, he disappeared into the shadows of the snow cliff. When he found that his target was not completely dead, he transformed into a silent thunderbolt and rushed towards the place where Xie Jinhuan had fallen!
Seeing this, He Tianqi knew that Xie Jinhuan had no way out, but the next moment, he was surprised to find that Shen Jinyu, who had launched the attack, suddenly stopped halfway and then flipped over and landed on the snow cliff, widening the distance between them.

When Wei Jili saw that Shen Jinyu was not adding fuel to the fire at this time, but instead started to strike a pose, he became very anxious. However, his expression changed slightly.

Bang, bang——

Xie Jinhuan, dressed in a blood-stained white robe, fell from the snow cliff. His left chest was slashed horizontally by a sword, and he looked like a bird shot down by an arrow.

But after only two such rolls, Xie Jinhuan regained his footing and stood on the steep cliff, holding the Heavenly Mace in a fighting stance.

The blood gushing from the left chest dispersed into the air, turning into a blood mist that flowed back and merged into the wound on the chest and back, causing the wound to stop bleeding and heal visibly.

A surge of bloodthirsty energy spread beyond the snow cliffs, as if a demon god were descending upon the world and a blood demon were pressing down on the city!
"Demon way?!"

Shen Jinyu, who had landed on the opposite cliff, pointed his sword diagonally at the ground, his eyes filled with disbelief. He couldn't understand how Xie Jinhuan, this righteous and chivalrous hero with thick eyebrows and big eyes, could know such a forbidden technique.

However, the characteristics of demons are well known: as long as there is no one-hit kill, their blood and energy will never cease, and they will never die.

Although Xie Jinhuan didn't have any blood packs with him this time, his own abundant essence and blood were enough to heal his injuries several times. It would greatly deplete his vital energy, but it wouldn't cause him to lose his fighting ability on the spot.

Shen Jinyu also abandoned the frontal assault for this reason, realizing that this boy was more troublesome than he had imagined. He immediately looked towards the distant mountains:
"Stop those two."

Wei Jili didn't understand why Xie Jinhuan would choose the path of evil, but as long as one knew this forbidden technique, it would be difficult to defeat him in one or two moves.

Since Monk Xuyin couldn't hold off the two Super Grade ones and the three of them reunited, it would be difficult for them to kill Xie Jinhuan. Therefore, Wei Jili didn't care about anything else and flew towards Monk Xuyin to intercept the two who were returning to help.

woohoo...

Xie Jinhuan stood on the steep cliff with his mace in hand. Although the demonic cultivation technique could heal his injuries, the price was equivalent to 'self-devouring'. In the blink of an eye, his life essence was drained, which also caused his thirst for blood to rise to the extreme. As a result, his eyes, which were originally as calm as a cold pool, were covered with blood vessels, revealing a bit of evil.

However, Xie Jinhuan's expression remained calm. He glanced at the two helpers who had emerged from the distant mountains, then turned his gaze to the fat man with the sword opposite him:
"What a grand spectacle! Four people have come just to kill me, and even Master Shen, who hasn't made a move in over ten years, has personally joined the fray. However, Master Shen is now quite stout, and his swordsmanship doesn't seem as domineering as the legends say."

Zhao Ling and Linghu Qingmo had already reached the exit. They breathed a sigh of relief when they found that Xie Jinhuan seemed to be alright, and then wanted to jump down to help him.

But Shen Jinyu was the strongest assassin in the Great Qian Dynasty. Those below the Super Grade had no chance to react. Xie Jinhuan simply raised his hand, signaling the two to hide first.

Shen Jinyu, despite his large belly, wielded a three-foot-long black sword, resembling a middle-aged wealthy man who knew nothing about swordsmanship. Having concealed his imposing presence, he showed no trace of the aura of a martial arts master. He carefully observed Xie Jinhuan and replied:
"I have always been like this, but it is indeed surprising that Young Master Xie, whose reputation for righteousness is known to all, possesses such evil arts."

Xie Jinhuan didn't waste any more words on the demonic cultivation techniques, but glanced at the four people fighting in the distance:
"Master Shen is no cheap man, and he also has so many experts with him. Who is willing to spend so much money to buy Xie Xiangshang's head?"

"The Underworld Cult. Young Hero Xie, since you're alive today, you can certainly settle accounts with them."

Xie Jinhuan realized that it was the Underworld God Sect that was targeting him, so there was no need to ask any more questions. He was just a little puzzled as to why a top-tier Buddhist monk would be involved, and who that top-tier martial artist was.

With the distance between them too great, the ghost couldn't investigate the details of the unknown opponents. Xie Jinhuan focused his attention on his current opponent, rising into the air once more until he was level with Shen Jinyu.
"People die for wealth, birds die for food. Considering that you, Master Shen, have been honest with me, I'll leave you with a whole corpse today. If you have any other tricks up your sleeve, just use them."

As the words fell, silence descended upon the area outside the snow-covered cliff, gradually replaced by a chilling and oppressive atmosphere...

(End of this chapter)