Tumor Sword Immortal

Chapter 163 Falling in love and killing each other
This foul stench, resembling a "domain" or "pressure," was so overwhelming that even a top-tier cultivator like Pei Xia struggled to withstand it.

What's even more disheartening is that even using spiritual power to block it, or trying to cover the mouth and nose with protective energy, cannot completely stop this intense stench.

At this moment, Pei Xia finally realized that she had been careless.

Yes, the flow of water in this mountain and river is not small, and the lake in the fishing village is also quite large. Under such a flow, it is impossible for the entire waterway to be so smelly. It is definitely not something that can be done by a simple rotting corpse.

Moreover, in the wild, rotting carcasses are part of the ecological cycle, and the proportion that is consumed by animals is probably greater than that that rots in the water.

The source of this level of damage should not be underestimated.

Pei Xia felt the increasingly intense stench begin to assault his mind, and the confusion in his mind began to trigger the sharp, frantic howls of the calamity beast.

Just when he thought he was about to suffer a terrible fate.

Suddenly, the fat man in front of the small house turned his head and looked at Pei Xia from a distance.

His small eyes, almost invisible due to being squeezed by fat, initially showed a hint of surprise and fear, but he quickly realized what had happened and took a deep breath.

With that deep breath, the sores and chapped mouths on his obese body seemed to turn into a suction mouth, instantly drawing all the surrounding stench back into his body.

Just as Pei Xia was about to be overwhelmed by the stench, the air in the mountains and forests returned to its fresh state.

Pei Xia breathed a sigh of relief, her body covered in sweat, and bent over to catch her breath.

Damn, I almost died from the stench.

When Pei Xia finally recovered and began to regain consciousness, a wide shadow had already approached him.

Pei Xia looked up and saw the obese man covered in festering sores standing in front of her.

Pupil earthquake.

The man clearly noticed Pei Xia's shock. He quickly waved his hand and said in a deep voice, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. I've already taken the Glazed Immortal Elixir."

Pei Xia dared not let her guard down, but at the same time, she did not act rashly.

It's not scary to smell bad.

But if the stench is this strong, even penetrating the barriers of spiritual energy and protective aura, then it is definitely not just a simple "odor," but more likely the unique cultivation of the person in front of you.

The fat man scratched his head, his tone apologetic: "I didn't expect there to be anyone in such a desolate place. I'm sorry to have startled you."

Pei Xia sensed no malice in his words, so she took a step back and bowed slightly, saying, "It was this junior who was presumptuous and intruded into your cave."

The fat man quickly reached out and raised his hand in the air, saying, "What cave or not, I'm just seeking refuge."

Pei Xia's eyes brightened slightly.

The other party readily accepted the title of "senior," confirming that his guess was correct; this must be a cultivator of extremely high level.

Seeing that this was someone she couldn't handle, Pei Xia was already having second thoughts.

The land of Kyushu is full of hidden talents and powerful figures. If you encounter someone you can't defeat, it's not shameful to run away. In my early years, when I was cultivating the Five Virtues and Eight Aspects, it was common for me to hide and go into hiding.

However, his mention of "seeking refuge" made Pei Xia somewhat concerned.

If something terrible were to happen, knowing in advance would allow us to bring Lu Li and the others along and inform the villagers at the foot of the mountain to flee as well.

He tried asking, "What kind of refuge are you referring to, senior?"

The fat man sighed, startling Pei Xia into taking two steps back. He replied with a wry smile, "It's all because of that old woman Huo Yeshan... Well then, it's rare for me to have guests here, let's go inside and talk." After saying that, seeing Pei Xia's obviously reluctant look, he solemnly promised, "The house doesn't smell, it really doesn't smell."

After much hesitation, Pei Xia followed after them.

The hut wasn't large. Inside, there was a sturdy bamboo bed, two wooden cabinets, two bamboo mats stuffed with hay, and a small square table.

The chubby senior poured tea for Pei Xia. Although it was cold, the tea was fragrant and refreshing.

He moved his large body with great difficulty and sat down opposite Pei Xia. He held the earthenware teacup in his hands, his lips moving for a moment, as if he was thinking about where to begin.

"Uh, my surname is Dugu, and my given name is Nong. I'm a bit older than you, and if we're talking about lineage, I should be considered..."

Dugu Nong smiled: "The Temple of Severe Illness, do you know the Temple of Severe Illness?"

Pei Xia knew, of course.

The Shenke Temple is also a well-known sect in Youzhou. This sect is said to be a Taoist temple, but it is said that it is only because its founder was a Taoist priest. The current sect is not actually a Taoist sect.

Among the many major sects in Youzhou, the Chenke Temple is quite special, firstly because it has few members.

Leaving aside Xuan Ge Sword Mansion and Huo Ye Mountain, even Ling Xiao Sword Sect occupies three mountains and has hundreds of elders and disciples inside and outside the sect.

The sect, known as the Cun Ke Guan, reportedly only has a few dozen members. It lacks proper sect divisions, with no elders, disciples, inner sect, or outer sect members. There is only a nominal sect leader who serves as the leader.

With such a large number of members, the average cultivation level of the Shenke Temple must be extremely high. However, due to the lack of sect rules and regulations, the members tend to be quite unruly in their conduct in the martial arts world.

Previously in Junma City, the Horse-Helping Taoist had a conflict with the Little Flag Commander of Huoye Mountain.

Although he didn't commit any heinous crimes, he still had a bad reputation.

The fact that the masters of the Shenke Temple are hiding in the deep mountains and forests to avoid trouble seems to be related to Huoye Mountain.
Seeing that Pei Xia remained silent, Dugu Nong nodded as if he understood, and smiled helplessly, "You don't need to be afraid. Our Chenke Temple isn't actually that bad. Rather, for many years, we have always kept in mind our master's teachings, taking it upon ourselves to take in the disabled, care for the orphans, and provide for the sick and see them off in their final days. It's just that many of our fellow disciples are like me, born with unusual illnesses, and have suffered scorn and exclusion since childhood. They simply don't know how to be ordinary people, so their words and actions are a bit strange and absurd."

This is quite different from the rumors circulating in the martial arts world.

As Dugu Nong spoke, he spread his arms to show the festering sores and purplish-black, bloody chapped mouths on his fleshy body that could not be concealed by his clothes: "Just look at my appearance. My parents and relatives abandoned me, and I was treated like a monster wherever I went. If it weren't for my master taking me into the Shenke Temple, I'm afraid I would have died on the roadside like a wild dog long ago."

Now that you mention it, Pei Xia remembered that the Taoist priest who helped with the horse was unusually thin, but had large, protruding eyes, making him look like an extraordinary person. Only compared to the one in front of him did he seem more like a normal person.

Of course, the so-called teachings of the patriarchs may not be false, but in addition to taking in the disabled, caring for the lonely, and providing medical care and funeral services, it does not mean that the Shenke Temple is chivalrous, humble, polite, and upright.

Based on Pei Xia's own experience, he felt that "both righteous and evil" was a fairly fair assessment.

Pei Xia nodded and continued, "I did see your sect's Fuma Daoist in Junma City before. He had a conflict with a minor flag commander from Huoye Mountain. Do your two families have some kind of family feud?"

"feud?"

Dugu Nong stretched out his short hand and waved it: "It's just a coincidence. My feud with Wang Wanfeng has a long history, and it's not something that happened in just a few years."

Wang Wanfeng!
The sect leader of Huoye Mountain, one of the top experts in the Heavenly Consciousness Realm in Youzhou!
Pei Xia was startled, and her opinion of the fat man rose even higher.

To be able to live well despite having a grudge against Wang Wanfeng for so many years, one must have reached the level of celestial awareness, observing the heavens and the earth.

Pei Xia asked cautiously, "You and Sect Leader Wang are...?"

Dugu Nong gently tapped his teacup, his fat jiggling. He sighed deeply, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "We are husband and wife."

(End of this chapter)