Chapter 320
“Why do all the disciples around the immortal look so strange and scary? They can't be practicing calisthenics, can they?”
“That’s impossible. The immortal said that the disciples of the Wanxiang Xianzong are all skilled in shape-shifting martial arts…”
“After a few days of calisthenics, my back doesn’t hurt anymore, and my legs don’t ache.”
“The Heavenly Venerable is really helpful. Trust him, he’s truly enlightened, and he doesn’t even want any young boys or girls!”
“Is that really true? My kid is only six; maybe we should just move our whole family to your town.”
...
In the Huán Mó Jiào, Southern Border Branch.
The ancient hall was shrouded in darkness, as if even the sunlight outside couldn’t penetrate. The faint light made the wall murals, exuding a wild aura, appear particularly eerie.
Faint howls and roars echoed in the air, sounds that seemed beyond human capability.
“Recently, our disciples have suffered heavy losses. What do you all think?”
The master of the Beast Hall sat at the head of the table, his voice hoarse, like a lifeless piece of dry wood.
The Huán Mó Jiào had always cooperated with Han Zhen, and the Beast Hall was born from that alliance.
But now, Han Zhen was dead.
The ultimate goal of the Beast Hall remained unchanged—two words: Zhen Long (True Dragon).
The Zhen Long was not an innate being but a powerful entity revered by humanity as a totem. Through the process of various tribes devouring one another, these totems fused together, ultimately giving birth to this product.
When the power of all beings was sufficient, it would manifest.
So even though Han Zhen was dead, the Beast Hall had not changed much; it was still about controlling the Southern Border and gathering the power of all beings.
But now, someone had shaken the foundation of the Beast Hall.
“...”
None of the high priests spoke first.
Come on, they were people of the dark sect.
Some of them secretly fought among themselves, and if something happened in someone else's territory, what did it have to do with them?
Others were still trying to figure out the situation, knowing that speaking too much could lead to trouble, so they kept quiet.
The master snorted coldly:
“The Holy Son has been in a bad mood lately, as you all know. He has been wanting the body of the True Dragon to reclaim the top spot on the Qianlong List.”
“If he finds out that we’ve been ineffective, the consequences could be…”
The high priests swallowed hard and sat up straight.
The master was the Holy Son’s uncle.
Whispers filled the air, and one priest finally spoke up:
“Master, our top priority now is to uncover the origins of this Tian Ting Wanxiang Xianzong, especially that so-called Heavenly Venerable.”
“Tian Ting? Wanxiang Xianzong? Heavenly Venerable?”
“Yeah, he calls himself the Heavenly Venerable Immortal. He has been asleep for countless years and possesses immense powers…”
“Whoa! Creating the universe? I don’t think even the novels would dare to exaggerate like that…”
All the high priests present were at least at the Inner Scene realm.
But even those at the Outer Scene wouldn’t dare to speculate on what creating the universe truly entailed.
If this were true…
Forget about their Huán Mó Jiào branch; even the leader of the main sect would have to tread carefully.
“And one more thing.”
The master of the Beast Hall’s expression grew increasingly serious:
“This Heavenly Venerable said that our Huán Mó Jiào has only obtained a mere fragment of the Wanxiang Xianzong’s teachings.”
“No way?”
“Our history is long, tracing back to before the Dayu, but…”
The priests recalled what the master had just said about the information they had on the other party.
That Heavenly Venerable was surrounded by a group of disciples, all of whom were remarkable and showed signs of beast transformation.
This was somewhat similar to their Beast Hall’s fundamental method, the method of transforming into a dragon.
However, the drawbacks of the Dragon Transformation Sutra were also quite evident. Practitioners who bore the bloodline power of various beasts could easily lose their sanity. Most people, let alone transforming into a dragon, would lose their wits even when trying to transform into a flood dragon.
But the disciples around that Heavenly Venerable seemed to be quite clear-headed.
It was said they practiced some form of shape-shifting martial arts.
And their name was even the Wanxiang Xianzong!
Moreover, like them, they were also absorbing the power of all beings!
The more the priests thought about it, the more alarmed they became.
Was there even a slight possibility that what the other party said… was true?
Had their Huán Mó Jiào really only obtained a mere fragment of the Wanxiang Xianzong’s legacy to have come this far?
Gulp…
The implications seemed to be getting bigger and bigger!
Whispers filled the hall.
Little Li probably never imagined that he just wanted to gather some power of all beings, and somehow, he had even pulled the Huán Mó Jiào into the mix.
After a while, the master of the Beast Hall finally coughed and said:
“No matter what, we must give the Holy Son an explanation!”
“Whether it’s true or false, we need to probe further! We should try to establish contact with them and figure out if they are friend or foe!”
Involving the fundamental secrets of the sect was risky, but it also held opportunities.
The high priests eagerly volunteered.
...
As the moon rose above the branches, Qingmu City was bathed in a gentle, silvery light.
In the stillness, a clear bird call echoed, reminiscent of a giant whale sinking into a dream sea, its cry piercing the sky.
“The Miao Yin Bird has formed.”
A gust of wind blew open the window of the room, causing Ying Bing’s long hair to ripple.
Instinctively, she opened her big-headed doll and took out a jade hairpin. Just as she was about to tie up her hair, which was tickling her back, her movements paused.
The jade hairpin glimmered in the moonlight, radiating a soft glow, and it seemed to still hold the warmth of someone’s palm.
Thinking of that warmth, she recalled Li’s ingenious modifications to the dual cultivation method “Phoenix Ming Tian Ze,” combining it with foot massage…
What an illusion!
This hairpin was an ordinary object, not made of warm jade! That warmth was just her imagination…
Ying Bing pursed her lips and used the hairpin to secure her hair. She decided to try out the new extreme form, the divine intent of the Miao Yin Bird.
Swish—
Her Liuxian dress suddenly shimmered with golden light, transforming into a golden exotic outfit.
The lower part was light gauzy lantern pants, while the upper part was a corset adorned with golden threads and pieces, exposing her flat, streamlined abdomen.
If Little Li were here, he would surely exclaim:
“Wow, a Western dance girl!”
“He might like this kind of look?”
Ying Bing initially frowned, feeling the outfit was too revealing, but thinking of a certain hammer-wielding little tyrant’s starry-eyed expression, she couldn’t help but gently curve her lips.
She lowered her gaze, her spirit resonating with divine intent.
The Miao Yin Bird is graceful in dance and keen in hearing.
She seemed to hear various sounds carried by the wind.
“This tavern is doing great business! I heard the barbecue here was personally developed by Little Li the Tyrant?”
“Boss, how’s the quality of this hammer? Is it good for breaking stones? The Heavenly Venerable wants us to dig stones to offer him.”
Heavenly Venerable?
Hearing the word ‘Venerable,’ Ying Bing’s eyelids twitched.
Which shaman or deity dares to call themselves a Venerable?
It could only be him…
“Mom, can you buy me some osmanthus cake for my birthday?”
“Foolish child, your birthday is still seven days away. If we leave it for seven days, it’ll spoil.”
Birthday…
Ying Bing gently opened her eyes, the serene depths reflecting the moon.
She suddenly remembered.
In five days, it would be her… birthday?
Those two words felt somewhat foreign, as she had never celebrated her birthday, always spending it alone in solitude, no different from any other day.
He still hadn’t finished his business.
This birthday would likely be no different from the past, passing by as if nothing had happened.
After all, she had long since grown accustomed to it.
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