Chapter 194 - 223: Immortal Slaughter Bureau! Fulong Mountain, Fulong Daoist Temple
The moment the green-robed Swordsman finished speaking, he swiftly flipped the longsword in his hand, faced the Black Flood Dragon, and unleashed a blinding, silver sword light!
The brilliant Sword Aura rose over the wide river like a radiant sun.
Instantly, a mist of water billowed out in all directions.
When the Sword Aura struck the Black Flood Dragon, it instantly tore away a large swath of flesh and blood, exposing the deep red Blood Bone underneath.
In an instant, a bloody, foul stench filled the air.
"Celestial Sword Master!"
"Once I have perfected my Divine Skill, I will devour you whole and flay you alive!"
The Black Flood Dragon cried out in pain, its roars echoing one after another. Then, its entire body suddenly grew hazy.
Bathed in the moonlight, it bizarrely vanished without a trace.
Nowhere to be found.
"You’re not getting away!"
The green-robed Swordsman, suspended in mid-air, tightened his grip on his Three-Foot-Long Sword. His eyes, filled with killing intent, locked onto a specific direction as he roared in anger.
Then he shot off in pursuit!
Instantly, the once-turbulent river surface slowly settled into silence.
The moonlight, which had been rippled by the evening wind, also grew still upon the water.
Only the thick, bloody scent lingering in the air and the foul pools of blood on the water’s surface served as a reminder to the scholar and the others watching that what had just transpired before them was, in fact, real.
’Fushui Demon Monarch? He broke the seal?’
Hearing the exchange between the two, Su Bai became lost in thought.
’A Dao Palace Realm Black Flood Dragon, and a Dao Palace Realm Sword Cultivator...’
’I can’t believe I’ve run into two Dao Palace Realm experts just after setting foot in a single county of Cangzhou.’
’This Great Yu Cang Province is truly something else.’
Su Bai retracted his gaze and murmured with a smile in his eyes.
Although his purpose on this trip was to travel and sightsee, if he happened to run into a few experts of the Daoist Palace or Dragon Mansion Realms within the Cangzhou Territory, he wouldn’t mind suppressing a few, locking them away in his Dharma Tripod Prison, and accumulating some Experience Points.
Ever since he broke through to the Dao Palace Realm, advancing each layer required a massive amount of Experience Points.
On top of that, improving his Divine Techniques and Cultivation Techniques was like feeding a terrifying Scripture-devouring Beast!
Therefore, he would never complain about having too many Experience Points.
"Old man, do you have any idea who that green-robed swordsman from just now was?"
The scholar standing to Su Bai’s right pinched his nose with his right hand as the thick stench of blood washed over him. He frowned and asked, his face a mask of shock.
The old man in the straw raincoat had been piloting his boat on the Bi River for decades. He had seen and heard much, and had met all sorts of people, so he might know a few secrets.
The old man stood on the riverbank, his expression turning solemn as he recalled the green-robed Swordsman’s words.
After a moment, he spoke hesitantly.
"He might be from the Da Yu Immortal Slaughter Bureau!"
The Immortal Slaughter Bureau!
It was the largest organization within the Dayu Immortal Dynasty, boasting a massive number of members.
The Bureau’s personnel were specifically tasked with slaying Human-Demons, Gods, Demons, and Immortals who caused trouble throughout the land.
Hence the name: the Immortal Slaughter Bureau!
His own status was humble, and this was all just hearsay he had picked up from passengers on his boat. He couldn’t guarantee how much of it was true.
"The Da Yu Immortal Slaughter Bureau..."
The scholar murmured, a look of awe and longing appearing in his eyes.
By the Ling County ferry crossing, the onlookers who had stopped to watch the spectacle now resumed their hurried pace and went about their business.
It was as if such scenes were nothing special, just a common occurrence.
Su Bai, meanwhile, left the ferry crossing, planning to wander around Ling County for a bit.
Following behind him were the scholar, clutching his books and muttering to himself, and the middle-aged woman, who held her child with her head slightly bowed.
And what of the old ferryman?
After they paid, the old man sat alone at the bow of his boat, a cat curled up beside him, and took a deep drag from his pipe.
Gripping a bamboo pole, he began to punt his small boat away.
He leisurely departed the crossing, disappearing into the vast darkness of the night.
...
Ling County was well-equipped with a variety of fine establishments.
The wide streets were lined with numerous candle-lit lanterns. Though it was late, there were still quite a few pedestrians about.
Under the dim yellow candlelight, the four silhouettes parted ways at a street corner.
’I hope I pass the grand examination in a few days...’
The scholar walked toward an inn, his face etched with worry and anxiety.
Meanwhile, the middle-aged woman holding her child stood in the dim yellow candlelight, her rough, chapped right hand fumbling inside her pocket.
She finally breathed a sigh of relief when her fingers brushed against something hard.
It was a brown coin purse.
The purse was rather flat and its color had faded. She rummaged inside for a long time, only managing to pull out less than a tael of broken silver.
Her expression froze for a moment, then her lips curved into a bitter smile.
’I hope I can find some work at one of the officials’ houses tomorrow...’
The woman held her sleeping child and headed toward the most remote corner of Ling County.
That was where the cheapest lodgings in the county could be found.
In the gathering darkness, her figure seemed to become hunched and smaller.
But her shadow stretched out long behind her.
Eventually, she was swallowed by the darkness, disappearing from sight.
They had met by chance, their paths crossing only because they boarded the same boat, and now they parted ways to pursue their own goals.
Fate was truly a mysterious thing.
After the three of them left, Su Bai wandered alone through Ling County for a long time.
The deep night enveloped him, as if trying to swallow him whole.
Only after the moon on the horizon had vanished behind dark clouds did Su Bai find an inn to stay for the night.
「Early the next morning.」
Su Bai was in the inn, sipping his tea.
Across from him sat a young man in white robes with a sword at his side. He struck up a conversation, his expression full of curiosity.
"If I may ask, Elder, where are you from?"
In his perception, the aura of the man before him, Su Bai, was unfathomably deep. He was like one of the Immortal Gods seated high amongst the clouds, impossible to gaze upon directly, making one feel hopelessly inadequate in his presence.
He had to be an incredibly powerful Martial Arts Great Power!
Su Bai replied casually to the young man’s question.
"From a nameless county town."
"Oh? Could you be more specific?"
"Anmin County."
The white-robed young man paused. "I can’t say I’ve ever heard of it. Forgive my ignorance."
"May I ask for your name, Elder?"
"Oh, but I’ve forgotten my manners! I haven’t even introduced myself. How rude," the young man said, quickly smiling and cupping his hands in a salute.
"My surname is Mu, and my given name is Yu. I am a disciple of the Spirit Sword Sect in Cangzhou. I don’t have many hobbies, but I love practicing my swordsmanship."
"Su Bai. A Martial Artist from Anmin County."
"Elder Su, are you in Ling County for the Founding Day celebration?"
"No, I’m just passing through, seeing the sights."
The young swordsman seemed a little surprised by Su Bai’s answer. He continued with a smile and a cupped-fist salute, "Since you’re here to travel, Elder, have you perhaps heard of Fulong Mountain?"
"I have."
Su Bai nodded.
The old village chief back home had told him about Ling County’s Fulong Mountain. Apparently, the scenery was spectacular and perfect for a visit.
"To be honest, I came to Ling County for two reasons. The first was to attend the Founding Day festival. The second was to visit the Fulong Daoist Temple on Fulong Mountain."
At this, the young swordsman couldn’t help but shake his head, a hint of regret on his face. "But after arriving in Ling County, I searched high and low. I managed to find Fulong Mountain, but I’ve searched the entire mountain, and I haven’t found so much as a single brick or tile of the Fulong Daoist Temple, let alone the temple itself."
"Oh? Is the Fulong Daoist Temple so famous that you’d be this persistent?"
"It’s not so much that it’s famous. It’s just that, besides practicing my sword, I have a passion for collecting legends about ghosts and demons. I happened to notice that several legends mention a mysterious Fulong Daoist Temple, so I thought I’d come to Ling County to investigate."
A look of confusion crossed his face as he spoke.
"The strange thing is, I can’t find a single trace of it."
"Could my information have been wrong? Is the Fulong Daoist Temple not on Fulong Mountain after all? Or is there some other secret to it?"
Just then, a gray-robed elder who was also leisurely drinking tea in the inn overheard them and smiled serenely.
"You two gentlemen aren’t from Ling County, so you may not know. The Fulong Daoist Temple is rather peculiar. Even pilgrims from the foot of the mountain who wish to offer incense can only find the temple when the Temple Master decides to open its doors."
"At any other time, even if you follow the most familiar path, you will ultimately return with nothing to show for it."
"Is that really true?"
"I wouldn’t lie about such a thing."
"To think such a strange place exists!"
"Although I have never been to the Fulong Daoist Temple myself, I have heard that its Temple Master is quite lazy by nature. Only his three disciples are what you might call diligent."
"Now that I think about it, it’s not that you couldn’t find the right place, sir. You just didn’t go at the right time."
"Fascinating! The Fulong Daoist Temple is truly profound!"
The young swordsman’s eyes widened, and he clapped his hands with a sigh of wonder.
Hearing their conversation, Su Bai’s interest was piqued as well.
’This Fulong Daoist Temple certainly is interesting.’
Su Bai called for the waiter.
He paid his bill, then rose and strode out of the inn.
As for his next destination...
’I’ll go take a look at that Fulong Daoist Temple.’