Starting from the imperial palace guards, his clones spread all over the world.

Chapter 680 Strange Insect

"Roar--!!!"

A superhuman, throat-ripping roar instantly drowned out all other sounds in the forest!
Bei Yi's mouth, which was almost split open to the roots of his ears, revealing sharp white teeth, suddenly opened wide, and thick blood spurted out.

His bloodshot eyes, as if filled with boiling blood, suddenly widened, his pupils shrinking to two pinpoints like those of a wild beast.

Its neck was twisted at an extremely bizarre angle, and instead of rushing forward, it moved like a wolverine that had smelled blood, crawling on all fours and carrying a nauseating stench of blood as it frantically pounced towards the densest part of the crowd!

Its intent is to devour whoever it chooses!

This is precisely the madness of someone who has gone astray and whose mind has been completely consumed.

All that remained in him was the most primal thirst for killing.

Because of this, he forgot the techniques of superb lightness skill and relied solely on his crude instincts to drive his legs to charge forward fiercely, leaving deep cracks in the wet and rotten leaves with each stomp.

This frenzied power, capable of tearing apart the souls of ordinary people, terrified the martial artists gathered on the slope!

"Damn it! This demon-possessed person really didn't leave, how come he's still here?"

"We're no match for him, retreat immediately!"

"Master Beikong, only you can deal with him, please help us!"

……

The compassion in Bei Kong's eyes had long since faded, leaving only a sharpness like an ice blade.

His monk's robes fluttered without wind, and with one step he stood firmly like a rock, blocking the onrushing crimson storm and keeping Liang Jin and the others out of sight.

Bei Kong's piercing gaze cut through the air, locking onto Bei Yi's once-familiar face, now utterly distorted:

"Senior brother, you are plagued by demonic obstacles. No wonder your junior brother is severing your karmic ties and sending you to the Pure Land as soon as possible."

The moment he finished speaking, his right arm twisted cleverly from within the wide monk's sleeve and suddenly emerged from the collar of his robe!

That was not an ordinary display of limbs.

On his exposed bronze arms, beneath the skin, as if stimulated by some force, lines of tiny, twisted, dark red Sanskrit characters suddenly appeared!

That eerie red color resembled flowing lava or congealed blood scabs.

It is a scripture inserted by mixing secret medicinal ingredients with pigeon blood and cinnabar!
When body temperature rises, it's like a branding iron leaving a mark!

Moreover, as the scriptures manifested, a breathtaking pressure suddenly erupted from Beikong's gaunt body.

His arms were visibly bulging with muscles, and the veins throbbed beneath his almost transparent skin, as if a hidden dragon or snake had been awakened by the scriptures!
He exhaled, his voice like muffled thunder:

"Today, your junior brother will personally subdue the demon, helping you escape the sea of ​​suffering and cleanse yourself of your sins!"

Boom!

One punch!
Wherever the fist struck, the air was forcefully compressed and exploded!

Several broad-leaved banana trees with hard, iron-like leaves that were blocking the way were instantly shredded by an invisible impact, their green leaves bursting out everywhere, as if being devoured by an invisible giant mouth!
The extreme danger instantly activated Bei Yi's martial instincts, which had been driven to madness!
The piercing roar abruptly stopped!

The saliva and blood gushing from his mouth seemed to freeze at that moment.

At the critical moment, Bei Yi's pair of ghostly claws, stained with dried blood and with sharp nails, instantly transformed into two blooming bloody lotus shadows!
This is the secret technique of Manbuji Temple, the "Thousand Leaf Hand"!
However, this thousand-petaled lotus throne not only lacks the compassionate and pure atmosphere of Buddhism, but also exudes a brutality that tears everything apart!

The palm shadows, dense and indistinct, were no longer a guide to lead people to faith, but a strangling net of ten thousand snakes!

Bei Kong's powerful fist energy, capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks, was instantly cut, crushed, and dissolved into nothingness as it rushed into this strange storm of "fleeting beauty" palm shadows!
The moment the defense was successful, the elusive movement technique belonging to a third-rank master instantly returned!

Swish!
Only a fleeting afterimage remained in place!
Everyone only felt a blur before their eyes, and Bei Yi's blood-red figure was already like a lingering evil spirit clinging to the bones in the forest.

"The Compassionate Journey to Salvation"!
This was supposed to be the supreme form of the Buddha's golden body, wandering through the mortal world to guide sentient beings, but at this moment, it was leaving endless trails of death beneath his feet!
The afterimages were numerous, like several blood-stained, twisted and roaring Bei Yi simultaneously launching vicious and cruel attacks on Bei Kong at the center from various strange and tricky angles!

Bei Kong remained stationary, unmoved like an angry Vajra, his fists transformed into Vajra pestles, each block and parry accompanied by a muffled thud like metal clashing and a violent gust of wind!

The first tragedy was a continuous bloodbath, with deep, guttural roars mixed with the twisting sounds of bones grinding together, determined to kill anyone who stood in their way!

The other martial artists, witnessing this earth-shattering power, were already terrified and fled in panic.

Several who were slow to retreat or whose skills were mediocre were swept away by the unrestrained palm wind and finger force before they could even scream. They instantly exploded into several clouds of scarlet blood mist that filled the air, without even their bones being properly prepared.

Liang Jin sat steadily on the mountain sedan chair carried by two Yellow Turban warriors, seemingly oblivious to the bloodshed, murderous intent, and even the occasional screams that filled the surroundings.

He had no interest in the infighting among his fellow disciples at the third rank.

The methods of Bei Kong and Bei Yi were far inferior to those of their fellow disciple Bei Huan, who died at the hands of Liang Jin.
His eyes, hidden beneath his frail face, remained firmly fixed on Bei Yi.

He only felt a slight curiosity about the state of those who had gone astray, as if they were studying specimens.

What truly captivated him was the possibility of a "corpse that does not decay in the void."

however.

The monk's robe that Bei Yi was wearing, which was almost violently torn into a tattered sack, clearly couldn't hide anything.

"Could it be... that there wasn't one at all?"

A cold, gloomy glint flashed deep within Liang Jin's dark eyes:

"This beggar, are you trying to deceive me?"

The Uncorrupted Corpse of Guixu itself does not possess any earth-shattering pressure or extraordinary phenomena, nor does it have any special aura.

When he himself obtained the severed palm back then, he only felt that it was cold and hard to the touch, and was enveloped by a layer of ominous aura.

For a moment, Liang Jin's gaze couldn't discern anything amiss.

"But... Beikong has no reason to deceive."

Liang Jin's mind raced with thoughts.

His desire to return to the Void and remain uncorrupted was something Bei Kong would never have known before he agreed to Bei Kong's request.

To trick him into making a wasted trip?
It's of no benefit whatsoever.

An answer suddenly appeared:
"Inside...his stomach? He swallowed it?"

This is extremely possible.

The Uncorrupted Corpse of Guixu was originally dismembered into pieces and divided among the pirates.

If all that Bei Yi obtained was a fragment, it was entirely possible that he would forcefully swallow it and leave it inside.

Given the toughness of that evil creature, it is by no means something that stomach acid can dissolve.

A madman whose mind has been extinguished would not care at all about that small, undigested, cold foreign object in his stomach.

Another dark speculation began to grow in my mind: it's also possible that it was intercepted by that "ghost" long ago?

Liang Jin decided to continue to observe from the sidelines.

With the existence and location of the target uncertain, what does the life or death of Beikong have to do with me?
Given the current situation, it shouldn't be difficult for Bei Kong to hold his ground with his indestructible and powerful basic martial arts.

Looking further afield, the warriors of the Demon Extermination Assembly were calming down from their initial panic, quietly drawing their bows and arrows, and even rapidly moving to set up some kind of combined attack formation.

If they can regroup and cooperate with Beikong, there is still a chance to wear down this madman.

A spark of hope seems to be gathering.

Just as this seemingly brief stalemate was about to begin—

"Boom!!!"

A deep, yet incredibly powerful, thud, like the heartbeat of an ancient behemoth, pierced through the dense forests and rolled from the most distant mountain peaks!

"Bronze drums! It's the sound of bronze drums from the high priestly shamanic ceremonies in those villages!"

Li Ba cried out in shock, all color draining from his dark face:
"This voice is unique, there's no mistake!"

The climate in the southern region is hot and humid, making leather drums easily damaged. Therefore, drums were cast in bronze. They were important instruments for communicating with gods and spirits in tribal wars, large-scale sacrifices, and even the funeral rites of chieftains. Ordinary shamans were absolutely not qualified to use them!
As the drumbeat sounded, Bei Yi, who was charging into Bei Kong's defenses like a mad tiger, suddenly froze!
His entire head thrashed violently from side to side as if he were a drowning man struggling, so fast that his bones and ligaments creaked under the strain!
Even more horrifying, two thin, forked, dark red "tentacles" that "poofed" out of its two dark nostrils, resembling rotting leeches or eerie olfactory organs!
They trembled and twitched rapidly in the air like serpents, seemingly frantically absorbing some kind of pheromone that ordinary people could not perceive?

The whole process took less than half a breath.

As those two slender, slippery organs retracted into the depths of his nasal cavity with lightning speed, his frantically shaking head suddenly froze like a puppet on strings!
An eerie calm descended.

Then, to everyone's disbelief...

He abandoned the tragic sky, which was so close yet so far, and which he was fighting against with all his might, without hesitation.

Bei Yi's blood-red figure transformed into a streak of crimson light skimming the ground, rushing headlong towards the ridge where the bronze drum sound originated, even faster than before!

The sky instantly changed color, and a fierce roar echoed through the valley:
"Stop him! At all costs!"

His "Vajra Subduing Demons Explanation" is incredibly profound, and when confronted head-on, it is able to hold its own.

However, his lightness skill was mediocre. When it came to rapid pursuit, the "Universal Salvation Compassionate Journey Step," known for its agility and unpredictability, was far beyond his reach!

Everyone thought that this demon, driven by bestial instincts, would endlessly tear him apart until he died!

This sudden, targeted retreat caught everyone off guard, as if the bloody battle just moments before was merely an illusion.

Two martial arts practitioners, confident in their lightness skills, gritted their teeth and suppressed their fear, struggling to lay a specially made rattan net, soaked in tung oil and incredibly tough, on the path that Bei Yi had to take.

At the point where the blood and shadows collided, a sharp tearing sound rang out!
The net, powerful enough to strangle a rhinoceros, was torn to shreds like a piece of paper by Bei Yi's blood-stained claws!
The two figures forming the net didn't even have time to dodge; the blood and flesh fragments kicked up by the violent impact were directly swept into the demonic shadow!
Blood rained down like ink on the surrounding tree trunks and moss!
No one dared to stop them anymore!
They could only watch helplessly as that crimson hue vanished with ghostly speed into the dense, dark shadows of the trees in the distance.

In that moment of utter chaos, when all eyes were firmly drawn to Bei Yi's retreating figure—

On the mountain sedan chair, a barely perceptible fluctuation of energy rippled.

Liang Jin had quietly taken out a strange mask called "Si Mask" and placed it on his face!

A chilling, tangible power of insight suddenly materialized.

Open your discerning eyes!

In his eyes, the world instantly shed its outer fog, transforming into a transparent, clear, and adjustable picture!
Liang Jin's gaze was like two cold scalpels, precisely slicing into the rapidly receding head of Bei Yi.

over there!
The core area where the brainstem and thalamus meet!

There was a strange, dark red, tangled and writhing "ball of yarn"!
But upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that this "ball of thread" is actually a whole, a worm parasitizing the brain!
It is not a passive parasite; its countless extremely fine, thread-like limbs are delicate yet deadly, like spiritual roots that have taken hold of flesh and blood, deeply penetrating specific brain tissues and neuronal clusters. Its complex biological structure clearly possesses the ability to stimulate or block the transmission of nerve signals.

"Could this insect be able to affect Bei Yi's actions?"

Liang Jin felt a chill run down his spine.

Brain parasites in this world?

He knew quite a bit about brain parasites in his previous life. For example, Toxoplasma gondii, cysticercosis, sparganosis, and amoebic protozoa. These brain parasites can affect a person's movements to some extent, such as inducing epilepsy, causing disorientation, or even mental confusion and psychological problems.

But now, the insects in Bei Yi's mind are even more exquisite and deadly in form.

It exudes a primal, violent, and all-controlling aura of Gu Dao.

"Is it a Gu worm?"

Liang Jin couldn't help but think that there were indeed strange creatures like Gu worms in this world.

He especially remembered that Li Xueqing had once refined a natal Gu called the Heavenly Silkworm Gu.

Those Gu worms were exceptionally ferocious and could even control corpses; it was truly amazing.

Unfortunately, Liang Jin crushed the Heavenly Silkworm Gu in order to deal with Li Xueqing, so he didn't have a chance to study it properly.

The most prevalent practice of Gu poison cultivation in the world is found in this Southern State.

Nanzhou is home to a vast array of insect species, making it a veritable insect kingdom. It also boasts the ideal conditions for refining Gu poison.

Therefore, many martial arts practices in Nanzhou are closely related to Gu worms.

However, Liang Jin's attention was not on the Gu worm at the moment.

"Where exactly is the Uncorrupted Corpse of Guixu?"

His mind raced, and his gaze swept vertically downwards, instantly penetrating the skin, bones, and flesh, revealing the entire internal and external structure of Bei Yi's body.

Scan it once.

Didn't find it!
No foreign objects were found in the abdominal cavity, stomach, or intestines!
The coldness in Liang Jin's eyes deepened:

"No? Could it be that I've really been scammed?"

Scan again!

Compare repeatedly!

This time, Liang Jin looked at it with extra care.

And he finally reaped the rewards!

Mandible!
The problem isn't with the teeth, but with the bone structure itself!
The bone density and fine texture of the entire mandible are completely different from those of other bones in the face!
The lines are more rigid, dense, and rustic, exuding a metallic texture that remains tenacious despite the corrosion of long years!

It was as if he had roughly chiseled off his own jaw and forcibly embedded or even fused in a similarly shaped hard object!

This horrific transformation, combined with the exaggerated wounds extending to his ears and thick scabs, was perfectly concealed beneath his grotesque appearance.

Only those with "fiery eyes"—the ability to see through all things—can see through the inhuman mutations hidden beneath this bloody disguise!
Although they could tell that Bei Yi's jaw was strange, they couldn't be sure that it was the Uncorrupted Corpse of Guixu.

Liang Jin's gaze, sharp as an eagle's, instantly locked onto the source of the distant drumbeats.

He wanted to see who had been beating the drum.

It was because of the sound of the bronze drum that Bei Yi suddenly changed his mind and headed towards the direction of the drum.

This made Liang Jin wonder if Bei Yi had been lured from Yangzhou to Nanzhou.

The view extends beyond several rugged mountain ranges, focusing on the shadows of a few gnarled giant trees on the opposite steep ridge.

A bronze drum, about the size of a round shield, with a faint blue light and covered with intricate snake patterns, was carefully suspended inside.

The drumhead is not decorated with the sun pattern commonly found on bronze drums, but with a relief of coiled and overlapping venomous snakes. Under the faint light of day, two unsettling points of eerie green gleam in the snakes' eyes.

The area around the drum was deserted; there was no one in sight.

With keen observation, the internal structure of the bronze drum is clearly visible on its inner wall—a huge centipede, as thick as an infant's forearm, with a dark gold body and a head made of pure gold, is tightly imprisoned within the drum cavity!
Judging from its color and sluggish movements, it was clearly poisoned by some kind of powerful paralyzing drug and had been left unattended for a long time. Now that the effects of the drug have subsided, it has struggled to half awaken from its sluggish dormancy.

Its numerous, intricate feet aimlessly slide and collide in the narrow space, trying to find an exit.

After all efforts failed, his mania suddenly erupted!

The dazzling golden head shell on its forehead suddenly rose up, carrying a primitive and savage ferocity, and slammed hard against the inner wall of the drum that imprisoned it on its head!
"Boom!!!"

A deafening roar, like metal clashing against stone, suddenly erupted!

The centipede's head was incredibly hard!
The sound of the drums traveled exceptionally far in the serene mountains, especially at night, and could be clearly heard at Liang Jin and the others.

It turned out that the drum sound was produced by the golden-headed centipede striking the drumhead.

And that drummer was nothing more than a trapped poisonous insect!

Liang Jin looked around but couldn't see a single person, which meant that the bronze drum and the golden centipede had obviously been placed there for a long time.

"Who on earth is so cautious, not only refusing to show themselves but also setting up such a trap so early on?"

Liang Jin frowned slightly:

"It seems that this demon-slaying event has been secretly monitored all along, and everything is proceeding according to the monitor's plan at the scheduled time."

The movements of the demon-slaying assembly, every step of the scheme, were never far away from the enemy's watchful eyes, like vultures circling over carrion!
They even laid out bait in advance and manipulated the demonic Bei Yi to move along a predetermined route!
Why is the person behind the scenes staring at Bei Yi so intently?
at this time.

Bei Kong suddenly turned around and shouted anxiously:
"big--"

Almost at the same time!
The "Si" mask covering Liang Jin's face had quietly disappeared without a trace, leaving only a slightly tired calm on his face, as if he was completely unaware of the insight he had just gained in that instant.

Too many people have seen the [Si Face], and Liang Jin doesn't want Bei Kong to see it, nor does he want anyone to associate the [Si Face] with his own clone.

"...Good teacher, please lend a hand! This humble monk's lightness skill is far inferior to that of my senior brother!"

Seeing that Bei Yi was about to break through the encirclement and escape completely, Bei Kong couldn't help but ask Liang Jin for help.

"Master, where is that uncorrupted corpse from the Ruins of Return?"

Liang Jin's voice was calm and even, yet it contained an undeniable pressure:
"Does the master not trust me?"

As Bei Kong watched Bei Yi's retreating figure disappear completely into the deep forest, a chill ran down his spine.

He knew that without the truth that Liang Jin truly wanted, this unassuming and wise teacher would never make a move!

He gritted his teeth and spoke rapidly, like spitting out pearls:

"The evil thing has already... fused with the strange bones! Decay has seeped into the bones! Right there... in the jaw!"

The moment the words fell—

Click! Click! Click! Click!
Four extremely faint sounds, like the cracking of a dust seal being shattered by Yuan energy, rang out almost simultaneously.

The four Zhenyuan Dragon-Slaying Locks on Liang Jin's hands and feet, which contained terrifying pressure, suddenly disappeared!
At this moment, the endless, heavy shackles turned to ashes! The immense force vanished into thin air!

Once freed from its constraints, the blood surges through every cell of the body like a flood bursting its banks! An overwhelming vitality bursts forth like thunderclaps in a desolate wasteland!

He even felt as if he wasn't standing on the ground, but rather floating lightly above the air, as if he could soar into the clouds with every breath he took!
From his limbs to the depths of his soul, a long-lost sense of absolute freedom and control, a power that almost made him want to roar to the heavens, suddenly returned!

Just in time!

"The demon is about to disappear completely—quick!!!"

Desperate screams rose and fell like the cries of the dying.

Bei Yi's figure had shrunk to a tiny dot at the edge of the forest, and it seemed that he would disappear into the vast forest at any moment, like a dragon returning to the sea or a tiger roaring in the abyss! He would be impossible to find again!
My heart sank to the bottom of despair.

If Bei Yi escapes this time, it will be difficult to intercept him again in this complicated southern region.

If Bei Yi escapes and causes a major disaster, then the entire Wanfo Temple will lose face.

But Liang Jin had already made his move.

"call--!"

Suddenly, a strong wind arose around them.

On the hillside, fallen branches, leaves, and small stones were swept up and thrown into the sky by the invisible force of the gale!

The warriors on the ground felt an irresistible hurricane crashing down on them without warning!

Their breath was instantly stripped away! Their clothes fluttered wildly, almost torn to shreds! Their bodies were whipped backward by the strong wind, causing them to stagger and fall!
What's strange is that this gust of wind came quickly and went quickly.

Just as everyone felt the power of the strong wind, the gale howled and headed towards the direction where Bei Yi had disappeared.

"A strange wind! There's a ghost!"

Li Ba was terrified and rolled behind a big tree, clutching his head.

The caravan was familiar with the mountains and forests of Nanzhou, and this strange wind was clearly eerie and bizarre.

"Oh no! The Great Teacher! The Great Teacher has disappeared!"

Amid the chaos, another loud shout rang out, tinged with panic and a cracked voice.

The sedan chair was now completely empty!
The Taiping Dao group, including Lu Qiannan and Wen Hengrong, stood on the edge of the raging storm, their faces unusually calm, their eyes even carrying an indescribable fervor of faith, looking in the direction of the hurricane's surge.

Bei Kong steadied himself, and the remaining shock and anger were quickly replaced by an extreme sense of awe!

He strained his eyes and barely managed to catch a fleeting silhouette in the center of the storm that was tearing through the sky, a silhouette that was almost blending into the wind!
Tall and imposing! Solitary and majestic! With robes fluttering in the wind! Like a legendary immortal riding the wind and soaring through the void!

Its figure and posture seem to be...

Like a frail person on a palanquin on a mountain!

In an instant, all of Bei Kong's doubts, contempt, and scheming shattered like a broken pot!

"it is good……"

Bei Kong's voice was hoarse, trembling as if witnessing a miracle:
"What terrifying lightness skill...!"

"Who would have thought that the Great Master's lightness skill had reached such a transcendent level! Then his true strength must be unfathomable!"

As Bei Kong watched the hurricane surge and chase the blood-red afterimage, a flicker of morbid hope rekindled on his ashen face. He clasped his hands together and whispered:
"It seems that with the great and virtuous teacher personally taking action, we will surely succeed in eliminating the demon this time!"

The remaining warriors then realized what had happened, their jaws nearly dropping to the ground.

The Great Teacher didn't vanish into thin air; rather, he actually... used a light-footed skill that was incomprehensible to everyone to leave?!

That gust of evil wind... was it caused by that sickly fellow who looked like he was about to die at any moment?!

Even Bei Kong highly praised him; was his strength really that great?

Was he just acting the whole time?!
At that moment, everyone couldn't help but feel a wave of fear!
(End of this chapter)