Chapter 389 - 161: Celestial Secret Sect Master, Toad Wrath! Monk Taixuan
"That was the first time in my life I ever suffered a loss..."
As he spoke, he glanced at Cui Yanliang.
The implication was clear: this was the second time.
"A white-haired, white-bearded old Daoist?"
Cui Yanliang muttered to himself, slowly raised his head, and drew a semicircle in the empty air.
HUMMM!
A faint stream of light emerged from the void.
The semicircle expanded to a person’s height, and amidst flashes of white light, a scene appeared.
Wang E and Jin Yunfeng both looked up.
The ripples on the Profound Light Mirror slowly subsided, and a white-haired, white-bearded old Daoist standing on the lands of Ling Province came into their view.
"That’s him!"
Wang E’s eyes widened, and he couldn’t help but clench his fists.
The old Daoist looked kind and compassionate. His Daoist robe was spotless, and his eyes were deep and serene.
And just as the three of them saw him,
the man seemed to sense their gaze. He looked up toward the Profound Light Mirror—or more accurately, toward Cui Yanliang.
"Friend Cui, it has been a long time."
"The Celestial Secret Sect Master!"
Jin Yunfeng was startled, recognizing the old Daoist in the Profound Light Mirror.
Although he had never met the Celestial Secret Sect Master, he couldn’t fail to recognize the man.
After all, this was the leader of the Celestial Secret Sect.
And this old Daoist was the oldest living Feathered True Master.
However, the man had always kept a low profile. In the past five years, he had never confronted them, and his Celestial Secret Sect had withdrawn at the first opportunity.
"So it is you."
Cui Yanliang looked up, seemingly unsurprised, and said flatly.
"I’ve heard that for the past five years, Daoist Master, you have been searching for traces of the Seven Heroes and Three Li. To appear here at this time..."
"Does that mean the Seven Heroes and Three Li are in Ling Province?"
’Before I even stepped into the Cultivation Realm, this man was already a long-famous Feathered True Master, an existence I could only admire from afar.’
’But now, facing him, I feel no stirrings in my heart at all. Only perfect calm.’
’The ways of the world truly are strange.’
"Just five years... It’s truly incredible."
On the other side of the Profound Light Mirror, a hint of wistful emotion crossed the Celestial Secret Sect Master’s face.
He looked at Cui Yanliang, as if seeing the white-robed youth from five years ago.
Like master, like disciple.
How could this not make him sigh with admiration?
He hadn’t seen this kind of progress in tens of thousands of years.
After this moment of reflection, the Celestial Secret Sect Master looked at Cui Yanliang and nodded slightly.
"You are correct. Toad Wrath is in Ling Province."
"Toad Wrath... is in Ling Province?"
Jin Yunfeng was shaken.
Cui Yanliang frowned as well.
"If not for that, how could this man possibly possess such a terrifying Physique?"
The Celestial Secret Sect Master’s gaze grew profound as he looked toward Wang E.
"While there are extraordinarily gifted people in this world, how could anyone reach such an inhuman level?"
"Throughout history, those with such talent are often connected to the Seven Heroes and Three Li. When you saw this man, Friend Cui, you must have anticipated this."
Cui Yanliang was noncommittal.
’In truth, I had expected as much.’
’In this world, there are those born with brilliant minds and perfect recall, and those with Innate Divine Power who can lift cauldrons and shatter stone. But someone like Wang E... he’s beyond the scope of mere talent.’
’After all, ninety-nine percent of the world’s cultivators could train for a lifetime and never hope to forge a physique this terrifying.’
Wang E, however, could no longer hold back.
"Old bastard, you better explain yourself! What Seven Heroes and Three Li? How the hell am I not human?"
"If you were human, how could you, like a Celestial Killer Lone Star, first cause the deaths of your two brothers, and then your parents?"
The Celestial Secret Sect Master sighed softly.
"The Old Mansion Master of your Yin Temple... if he hadn’t awakened your mind and sorted out your bloodline, I’m afraid he could have lived for another hundred years."
"What a pity, what a shame..."
"I’ll kill you!"
Wang E could hold back no longer. His massive hands, the size of a small table, clenched tight, and he threw a heavy punch, smashing it against the Profound Light Mirror.
RUMBLE!
On the other side of the Profound Light Mirror, the Celestial Secret Sect Master flicked his sleeve, redirecting the force of the incoming punch.
Behind him, the earth shattered, dirt and stone flew everywhere, and dust billowed up like a Dragon, rushing to the sky!
On the ground, a massive fissure, thirty or forty feet wide, spread far into the distance, beyond what the naked eye could see, for an unknown number of miles, or perhaps tens of miles.
"Don’t attack!"
Jin Yunfeng was shaken. He stepped forward and clamped a hand on Wang E’s shoulder.
But in the next instant, a calm voice echoed in the Yin Temple:
"You only have a bit of brute force and some bloodline Divine Techniques. Even if you are connected to the Seven Heroes and Three Li, how could you possibly harm me?"
Along with the voice came a fair hand, calmly phasing through the void and reaching out from the Profound Light Mirror!
SNAP!
The hand, fingers spread wide, clamped down on Wang E’s massive arm.
The Celestial Secret Sect Master spoke calmly.
"Friend Cui, I have divined that this man shares a master-disciple fate with you. I will trade this man’s life in exchange for your intervention."
"What do you say?"
BANG!
The void trembled, and ripples spread out in all directions like surging waves!
The massive roof of the Yin Temple was completely blown away.
Amidst Wang E’s furious roar, the hand suddenly tightened its grip, forcefully dragging his massive, powerful frame into the Profound Light Mirror!
"Don’t even think about it!"
Jin Yunfeng roared, his crystalline skeleton erupting with a brilliant golden Divine Light as he unleashed a tremendous force to pull Wang E back.
But before the two could start their tug-of-war across the void,
Jin Yunfeng felt a huge force surge from behind him, and caught off guard, he too was pulled into the Profound Light Mirror.
He whipped his head around, only to see Cui Yanliang unhurriedly lowering his arm. Cui then took a calm step forward, entering the Profound Light Mirror of his own accord.
"I can act. But an exchange?"
"That won’t be happening."
...
Every cultivator in the world knew of the Seven Heroes and Three Li. In a sense, these ten innate Great Demon Ghosts were the true objective of all cultivators, past and present.
Undying and indestructible, existing for all eternity!
They were the true historical record, imprinted with the passage of all time.
In the past five years, Cui Yanliang had heard countless rumors about the Seven Heroes and Three Li, so naturally, he was very interested.
Of course, the more important reason was that the Seven Heroes and Three Li were a matter of grave importance. If they were allowed to escape, it would be a great catastrophe for all life, and no one could remain uninvolved.
WHOOSH!
Between the mountains, the void shimmered with various lights. As ripples spread, Cui Yanliang stepped out and raised a hand to press down on the shoulder of Wang E, who was about to erupt in fury.
Wang E’s heart was burning with rage, but when Cui Yanliang gently pressed his shoulder, the fire in his heart was instantly extinguished, and a peaceful Presence filled his entire body.
Cui Yanliang clasped one hand behind his back and surveyed the surrounding mountains.
The landscape was one of scenic beauty, with lush forests and ethereal mist winding between the mountain peaks.
It was like an Immortal Realm.
But to his gaze, the place held an indescribable, terrifying aura.
The Celestial Secret Sect Master sat cross-legged under an old tree, all alone, his expression calm.
Cui Yanliang looked away and spoke flatly.
"The geomancy here is excellent. It is nestled among mountains, with prominent Earth Veins, and encircled by the gentle, babbling flow of water. It has all the makings of a fine location."
"Unfortunately..."
"No matter how wonderful this place may be, any association with the Seven Heroes and Three Li ruins it completely."
"In the last five years, I have heard many tales of your deeds, young friend. Seeing you today, you truly have your esteemed master’s bearing."
The Celestial Secret Sect Master remarked with a sigh,
"It’s no wonder fellow Daoist Taixuan is so obsessed with you..."
"Taixuan?"
Ghostly flames flashed in Jin Yunfeng’s eye sockets.
Between the mountains, on a great river that snaked like a Dragon,
a middle-aged monk in a blood-colored kasaya came striding over.
He trod upon the surface of the river, his blood-red kasaya fluttering in the river breeze. On his half-exposed, bronze-colored shoulder, a crimson, Dragon-like tattoo was faintly visible.
"Monk Taixuan, you came too?"
Cui Yanliang looked up, seeming somewhat surprised, yet also as if he had known all along.
The newcomer’s name was Taixuan. He was the current Living Buddha of Zheyun Temple in Da Yu’s Qing Province. It had been over three hundred years since he had broken through to the Feathered realm.
Zheyun Temple was founded by a rebel monk from the Wansheng Institute, and its legacy had been passed down for several thousand years.
But unlike the Wansheng Institute, Zheyun Temple acted tyrannically and was vicious in its killing, wiping out entire families at the slightest provocation.
Killing demons, killing humans.
Killing the good, killing the wicked!
Anyone who became their enemy would be dealt with by any means necessary. They called themselves a Buddhist Sect, but in reality, they were a textbook Evil Dao sect!
During the five years he had been promoting his new laws, several of his life-or-death crises had been connected to Taixuan’s Zheyun Temple.
To be precise, it was this old monk Taixuan who had acted against him in secret.
It wasn’t until two years ago, when a great opportunity led to an epiphany and a breakthrough in his Thunder Skill, that he managed to grievously wound Taixuan, forcing the monk to retreat.
Monk Taixuan, wearing his blood-colored kasaya, spoke in a hoarse voice with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
"Cui Yanliang, long time no see. You’re not dead yet?"