Chapter 48

In his pain, the fatty Youliang advanced instead of retreating. The Ironclad Rhinoceros let out a strained snort as swirling air currents danced around it. Sand and stones on the ground suddenly erupted in flashes of thunder and lightning. Jian Wufeng was immediately taken aback and hurriedly fell back, yet the interwoven currents unleashed by the Thunderquake Hammer still tore away more than forty thousand health points and left him paralyzed.

“Then what else can we do? Are we really supposed to wait outside?” Tiansheng thought that unless it was absolutely necessary, it would be better not to trouble the Demon Emperor to appear.

At the entrance to the ancestral shrine, the Grand Dowager slowly raised her eyes. By the faint candlelight, she gazed over every memorial tablet, until her eyes finally settled on the broken tablet held in Chuxiu’s arms.

Qin Shufang spoke with a glimmer of tears at the corners of her eyes. Whenever she thought of her elder sister, her heart filled with unbearable sorrow. One could imagine how difficult those twenty years must have been for her sister in that remote mountain temple. A life of green lamps and ancient scriptures should never have been hers.

“Black Tortoise Armor Transformation!”

The Black Tortoise split into more than a dozen hexagonal armor plates, which snapped into place and protected the vital parts of my body. The bonuses granted by level ten were not particularly great, but they were still better than nothing.

The cold-colored fireworks dispersed, and Lin Yingmei slowly emerged. Although she looked somewhat disheveled, the icy beauty in her eyes was suffocating.

“You!”

Jinxuan’s brows shot up. The flames blazing in his eyes as he glared at Tiansheng were practically visible.

“Why didn’t you change Brother Yu into some proper clothes? Look what a spectacle you’ve made of him.”

A hint of mockery curved Ji Feng’s lips. He had never seen Gu Yu in such a sorry state before. He had long wanted to toy with him, and now that his wish had finally come true, he was naturally delighted.

“Demon Emperor, do you know whether the Nine-Headed Golden Crow clan possesses any especially powerful treasures?”

Tiansheng continued probing the Demon Emperor for information.

He had long since placed his life and death beyond his concern, so he had no fear of provoking Mingren. The two stared at each other for a long time, neither showing the slightest intention of yielding. For a while, the hall fell into complete silence. Everyone’s breathing could be heard distinctly, and to Li Kuang it felt as though a pair of hands were repeatedly twisting his heart and lungs.

At the end of the road stood a low fence covered in purple, white, and pink dew roses. These flowers could purify the dust-laden air while filling the surroundings with a faint, secluded fragrance. They calmed the mind and aided meditation and cultivation.

“Why not let you meet them?”

Huang Bingfeng seemed to be asking Tian Ling’er for her opinion, yet the questioning tone made it impossible to discern what she truly thought.

With one hand, she unconsciously and gently stroked his chest. Inside, she was sweetly imagining what it would be like to remain in his arms like this, quietly listening to his heartbeat. The feeling of being so close to him was truly wondrous.

When Shi Teng saw that the barrier had been hacked open, leaving a gap wide enough for one person, he did not hesitate. He leaped straight through it. The moment Xie Dongya saw that Shi Teng had entered the barrier, he immediately withdrew his spiritual energy.

Lan Xianshu’s face flushed. How could she possibly tell Shen Zhiqiu that she had merely considered the question for a few seconds?

“Brother Cui, we left in such a hurry last time that I never had the chance to thank you. Please don’t take offense, Brother Cui.”

Qin Ning spoke with complete sincerity.

That was why, when he saw Sun Li calling him, he assumed she had news for him and became so excited.

Zhao Tong chose not to pursue them. He remained behind to protect Lou Yi. He had witnessed what had just happened and had secretly broken into a cold sweat for Lou Yi. Those spirit insects, each as large as a melon, were enough to make even a Core Formation cultivator’s scalp crawl. He wanted nothing more than to keep far away from them.

Apart from prodigies from first-rate clans, such as Zhuge Yimeng and Beiming Qiuxue, who were still able to remain composed, the other prodigies—those with backgrounds like Gu Buzuo’s—had all lowered their heads deeply at that moment.

Bing He Wuxin called out once more, seemingly ready to make a move. The Ghost Butterfly, meanwhile, casually prepared to stab again.

“Wuyou, if you turn us into zombies, will we become stronger?”

Xue Meng asked. Beside him, Zhang Meiyi tugged worriedly at his arm.

There had been no interference at the beginning, allowing for steady development. That was a good sign. From here on, everything would depend on whether the circle was willing to cooperate.

Shen Wuyou’s strength continued to rise. Perhaps Shen Wuyou himself did not care, but Lang Tu had already understood that Shen Wuyou was no longer the same person he had once been. The Shen Wuyou of today needed to establish his authority.

Thus I am the eldest son of the Buddha, personally instructed by the Buddha’s own words. It is as though I were born from the Buddha’s mouth, brought to fulfillment through the Buddha’s teachings. I seem to have been transformed from the Buddha’s wisdom itself. When the Buddha asked which method was best, I answered according to my understanding: to grasp the truth and wisdom revealed through the mind and heart, and to bring them to their utmost perfection until one attains the Buddha’s knowledge and vision. In my view, this is the foremost path.

If light arose from space itself, then space should be able to illuminate itself. But when clouds and mist obscure the sky in the dead of night, why does space not produce any light?

World-Honored One, this name of mine is no different from those many other names. Through my cause, they have cultivated and attained true knowledge and genuine attainment. This is called the Fourteen Powers of Bestowing Fearlessness, whose great blessings and mighty abilities can be bestowed upon all sentient beings.

This had not occurred in the previous rounds. Back then, each opponent played only three matches, so there was no need to do any of this. But what lay ahead was a twenty-four-match marathon format. It had therefore become essential to formulate targeted tactics based on the habits and strategies of the teams around one’s chosen drop point.