Chapter 152: The Charm of Xuanyuan Taihua
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
It was completely silent both within the city walls and outside it. No one expected a b.l.o.o.d.y ma.s.sacre to happen within the ancient city.
The Main Path Guild went with all guns blazing to hunt down Fang Lang in order to retrieve the Reincarnating Lotus Sword in his possession. They knew that if a warrior whose power was higher than the fourth-cla.s.s realm attacked, it would trigger Xuanyuan Taihua’s will within the Reincarnating Lotus Sword and unleash the power of Xuanyuan Taihua’s explosively powerful divine sense.
The Main Path Guild knew a thing or two about Xuanyuan Taihua’s power. The Main Path Guild was extremely clear about the sheer terror of the First Sword that has been unrivaled for the past 200 years.
Hence, the Main Path Guild only sent disciples below the fourth-cla.s.s realm to hunt Fang Lang. Yet… everything was over. It was all over.
All the fourth-cla.s.s realm disciples were dead. Fang Lang had slaughtered all of them!
Even An Fan, the strongest among all the lower fourth-cla.s.s disciples, died a wretched death after being beheaded by Fang Lang on the city street.
Blood flooded the streets of Linjiang City, filling the city with a terrifying sense of danger. It seemed to have become a graveyard.
There was pin-drop silence within Linjiang City. Disciple after disciple sat on the blood-drenched limestone path in a daze. They never expected things to turn out like that.
Fang Lang single-handedly slaughtered the Main Path Guild disciples!
Li Yuanzhen and the other third-cla.s.s disciples sat mutely. Their eyes were filled with boundless horror and despair.
Fang Lang ignored them and stood in front of the city gates. His white robes had become blood-red robes. Even his sleeves dripped with blood.
It was not his desire to kill. Instead, these people insisted on seeking death.
Fang Lang smiled wryly and looked into the distance to see the figures outside the city. He leaned against the Obsidian Sword, resting the sword tip against the ground and looked calmly into the meaningful scenery outside the city.
Outside the city stood the upper fourth-cla.s.s realm warriors of the Main Path Guild. There were Main Path Guild elders, officials and many more.
They had been fighting the Sword Guild, trying to prevent the Sword Guild warriors from entering the city. However, no one expected that Fang Lang would completely slaughter all the Main Path Guild disciples within the city.
Was that what a… monster was like!?
A chill spread across each Main Path Guild warrior, starting from the bottom of their feet.
Wen Ting, Elder Ji and the other warriors smiled. They exchanged looks with Fang Lang and began to relax.
Many of the Sword Guild warriors and disciples of the various pavilions looked on with a strange light in their eyes. They never expected that the new Sword Guild disciple would meet them in that manner.
He had just advanced into the fourth-cla.s.s realm and killed hundreds of Main Path Guild disciples under the fourth-cla.s.s realm…
That was extremely ruthless!
“Such insolence!” an angry roar rang out of the mouth of the Main Path Guild warriors.
His deep roar sounded like the roar of a beast. Their bodies trembled. After all, many of those disciples were their kin. Yet, they have all been killed by Fang Lang!
Mad man!
Fang Lang was an absolute lunatic. That lunatic tried to wipe them out while he was still young and weak. When he is older, he would be the Main Path Guild’s worst nightmare!
Not to mention that the Main Path Guild and the Sword Guild were enemies. The relationship between their two guilds would be difficult to reconcile. Hence, they must destroy the threat and kill him while he was still a young sapling.
Countless figures tore through the skies to arrive at the city, looking extremely horrified where they stood in the air.
It was Zhao Zhenshi and the other Main Path Guild elders that Huang Zhihe had been battling.
They counted among the most powerful fighters of the Main Path Guild. Even though Huang Zhihe was extremely strong, he was still overpowered by them.
“By killing so many of our Main Path Guild disciples, he has cut off an entire generation! Bloodshed must be repaid with blood!”
Zhao Zhenshi’s eyes were extremely grim.
The Main Path Guild was thoroughly humiliated.
He should not have bothered with niceties for the sake of appearing polite and forbade Fang Lang from retrieving the Reincarnating Lotus Sword. Due to that, the Main Path Guild was completely humiliated and so many of their disciples died horrible deaths!
Chao Xiaojian and Zhao Longshi continued to fight intensely among the sea of clouds. They fought neck-and-neck.
As a whole, the Sword Guild was not a match for the Main Path Guild in terms of power without Xuanyuan Taihua.
However, Zhao Zhenshi was fearful of the Reincarnating Lotus Sword in Fang Lang’s possession. If they triggered the will of Xuanyuan Taihua in the sword once again, they would be in deep trouble.
“Set off the Barricade Rune. Don’t let that punk out of Linjiang City! We’ll wait until our ancestor gets here!”
Zhao Zhenshi and the many elders continued to confront Huang Zhihe. They wanted to defeat Huang Zhihe but have been unable to do so.
Outside Linjiang City, the Main Path Guild warriors’ expressions faltered slightly. After that, they followed Zhao Zhenshi’s orders and stopped fighting the Sword Guild warriors. They no longer tried to open the Linjiang city gates. Instead, they swiftly cast runes and sent the runes out towards Linjiang City.
Linjiang City was instantly enveloped in colorful lights.
The curtain of lights descended like a brick wall and blocked the way in front of Linjiang City.
Wen Ting, Elder Ji and the other Sword Guild warriors looked slightly caught off-guard. They quickly sent out blade rays but they were closer to the Main Path Guild. Since the number of the Main Path Guild warriors was slightly superior, the many Main Path Guild warriors acted to stop them, vaporizing all their blade rays.
Linjiang City was still barricaded.
Fang Lang, who had just arrived at the city gates, could sense the strength of the barricade. His eyes gradually grew cold. He raised his hand, lifting the Champion’s Blade into the air.
“A barricade? There are still many Main Path Guild disciples inside the city. Are you planning to lock us up for a lifetime?”
“If you don’t open the city gates… I will slaughter all the Main Path Guild disciples in the city!” said Fang Lang coldly.
Fang Lang had not killed Li Yuanzhen and the others because he was using them as hostages to threaten the Main Path Guild.
With a flick of his fingers, Sword Thunder boomed out. A third-cla.s.s Main Path Guild disciple died instantly from Fang Lang’s attack.
The stench of blood filled the air.
However, the Main Path Guild warriors outside the city did not move a muscle. They still did not choose to release the Barricade Rune.
Inside the city, the eyes of Li Yuanzhen and the others began to look a little lost. They were filled with utter despair and sorrow.
They… had been abandoned. They had become sacrifices for Fang Lang to kill as he pleased.
Fang Lang frowned deeply. The Main Path Guild… was truly ruthless.
They abandoned so many disciples as they pleased in order to keep Fang Lang locked up.
The First Guild in the world was extremely laughable.
However, the heartless nature of the Main Path Guild caused Fang Lang to rack his brains in order to figure out how to break the stalemate.
The realm-transcending Zhao Taifeng of the Main Path Guild filled Fang Lang with fear. The mere existence of the transcendental realm… was too unfathomable.
Just as Fang Lang was deep in thought about how to turn the situation around, the sound of a buddhist cry rang out from deep within the mountains. It sounded like an ancient bell was being struck. An auspicious light shone over thousands of miles!
All the warriors of the Sword Guild and the Main Path Guild froze. They turned their heads towards the pair of monks, one old and the other young, walking towards them on the main road.
The old monk had a kind face and friendly eyes. The young monk looked a little haughty. They both wore monk robes and walked in a steady, unrushed manner. However, the ground moved swiftly beneath their feet.
Even Fang Lang, who stood at the city gates, was shocked by the sight.
“It’s the warriors of the All-Seeing Buddha Sect!”
“I didn’t expect that even the All-Seeing Buddha Sect would be here!”
“It’s befitting of the Main Path Guild. They are so shameless to launch an attack with the All-Seeing Buddha Sect. This time Fang Lang will really struggle to escape.”
…
All around Linjiang City, the cultivators secretly observing the situation were busy chattering away.
The two monks that arrived were cultivators of the All-Seeing Buddha Sect.
The All-Seeing Buddha Sect held the position of the third sect in the world. Their strength was second only to the Meridian Guild, while their foundation and history went a long way back.
The expression on Wen Ting and the other Sword Guild warriors’ faces did not change when they saw the two monks. In contrast, the Main Path Guild warriors all broke out in expressions of joy.
The old monk and the young monk stood in the distance, pressing their palms together and making their way over.
The old monk’s eyes were fixed on Fang Lang. There was a hint of a smile and a strong sense of kindness in his eyes. He nodded his head slightly.
His actions caught Fang Lang by surprise. After all, he was not a person who harbored good intentions towards Fang Lang.
The expression of the Main Path Guild warriors faltered slightly when they saw the sight. Was it possible that the warriors of the All-Seeing Buddha sect were here to a.s.sist Fang Lang instead of the Main Path Guild?
It needed to be known that the outcome of the Main Path Guild today would likely be the outcome for the All-Seeing Buddha Sect soon after. Fang Lang entered the Main Path Mausoleum to retrieve the Reincarnating Lotus Sword, sending the entire Main Path Guild into turmoil.
That meant that when Fang Lang entered the All-Seeing Buddha Sect, he would be likely to retrieve the Circling Lotus Sword in the Secret Realm of the All-Seeing Buddha Sect and cause chaos to break out in the sect!
Hence, they did not understand why the All-Seeing Buddha Sect would help Fang Lang.
“Amitabha.”
The old monk of the All-Seeing Buddha Sect continued to walk ahead, quickly arriving before Linjiang City. He pressed his palms together and softly chanted.
A terrifying vital energy was unleashed, suppressing the warriors on site so that they were unable to make any movements.
He was a powerful warrior that could rival Chao Xiaojian!
The foundation of the All-Seeing Buddha Sect was not weaker compared to the Main Path Guild. If the All-Seeing Buddha Sect truly competed for power, there was no telling who the t.i.tle of First Guild in the world would belong to.
The old monk before them was not the abbot of the All-Seeing Buddha Sect, nor was he a warrior known to them.
Even though they had never seen him before, his power was extremely terrifying and deeply immeasurable.
All the Main Path Guild disciples paled.
That was because the old monk ignored them completely and continued walking ahead. He quickly arrived before the city walls. The Barricade Rune was like a stream before the old monk. As it flowed, the old monk’s figure melded into the rune.
The complexion of everyone outside the city changed.
They had no idea what the purpose of the old monk’s appearance was.
The old monk did not pay any heed to the gaze of the people there. He pressed his palms together and continued walking into the city until he arrived before Fang Lang.
Fang Lang gripped the Reincarnating Lotus Sword. He was on high alert.
“Amitabha. Benefactor Fang. This is the first time we’re meeting. I’m from the All-Seeing Buddha Sect. I’m here to invite you to the All-Seeing Buddha Sect to a.s.sist us in the Battle of PaG.o.das,” said the old monk with a smile.
His voice was confined to the area within ten feet of Fang Lang. Hence, no one else could hear his words.
Fang Lang was stunned. He turned to look back inside the city then glanced at the old monk.
“What is the Battle of PaG.o.das?” asked Fang Lang.
The old monk smiled and explained calmly, seemingly in no rush. He repeated his explanation to the young monk, describing their agreement with the demon and devil tribes as well as the Battle of PaG.o.das.
“So Senior, you’re here to invite me to be the external a.s.sist of the All-Seeing Buddha Sect? To be the external a.s.sist in the fight with the geniuses of the demon and devil tribe?”
Fang Lang narrowed his eyes.
“To partic.i.p.ate in the Battle of PaG.o.das, one needs to be below the fourth-cla.s.s realm. If I’m not mistaken, you should be here to invite An Fan from the Main Path Guild, right Senior?”
There was not much change in the old monk’s features. He merely smiled. “An Fan is dead. Even though you have recently advanced to the fourth-cla.s.s realm, you were able to kill a top fourth-cla.s.s. Besides that… you’re Xuanyuan Taihua’s disciple. That alone is enough.”
“Xuanyuan Taihua left the Circling Lotus Sword in the All-Seeing Buddha Sect, waiting for the predestined person to retrieve it. Weren’t you going to retrieve it, Benefactor Fang? If you help the All-Seeing Buddha Sect complete the Battle of PaG.o.das, no matter if we win or lose, you can take the sword as you please,” said the old monk calmly.
“Furthermore, aren’t you in need of an excuse to get out since you’re trapped here right now? I can take responsibility for the decision to take you away from Linjiang City.”
“The Main Path Guild has Zhao Taifeng. Since Xuanyuan Taihua has not returned, you and the Sword Guild are no match for them.”
As Fang Lang heard his words, his eyes lit up.
The old monk’s offer was pretty attractive.
Besides that, the old monk was right. The threat of Zhao Taifeng was extremely great. Who would dare to look down on a realm-transcending warrior?
Fang Lang returned the Reincarnating Lotus sword to its scabbard. He pressed his palms together and bowed slightly.
“If you get me out of here, wouldn’t that mean offending the Main Path Guild? Since Zhao Taifeng of the Main Path Guild is a realm-transcending warrior, is it really worth the All-Seeing Buddha Sect offending a realm-transcending warrior for the Battle of PaG.o.das?” asked Fang Lang.
When the old monk heard his words, he could not help but laugh heartily.
“With our history spanning several millennia, the foundation of the All-Seeing Buddha Sect is comparable to the Main Path Guild. It is not only the Main Path Guild who has a transcendental realm warrior.”
The old monk finished speaking and shook his head. “Besides that, the Battle of PaG.o.das carries great meaning to the All-Seeing Buddha Sect… Zhao Taifeng is nothing compared to this.”
The old monk’s words caused Fang Lang to make a judgment of the All-Seeing Buddha Sect based on his senses.
The All-Seeing Buddha Sect seemed different compared to the Main Path Guild. They did not seem to carry a deep sense of enmity toward him, Xuanyuan Taihua’s disciple, like the Main Path Guild.
Fang Lang was curious to know what the relationship between the All-Seeing Buddha Sect and Xuanyuan Taihua was like.
Hence, Fang Lang asked directly.
The old monk did not try to avoid Fang Lang’s question and chose to answer. Since he was here to seek Fang Lang’s help, he was not about to hide anything.
That was because only when there was mutual trust would Fang Lang put his all in the Battle of PaG.o.das.
“When Xuanyuan Taihua entered the All-Seeing Buddha Sect all those years ago, she was different when she entered the Little Wuliang Mountain, unlike other outsiders who attempted to kill their way up the mountain. She visited the All-Seeing Sect to discuss buddhist concepts. There was no hostility.”
“First Sword Taihua is peerless. Her grasp and understanding towards cultivation are immensely deep. In fact, she even pa.s.sed on many cultivation concepts in the All-Seeing Buddha Sect, influencing the younger disciples of our sect. Since then, First Sword Taihua left the Circling Lotus Sword there waiting for the destined person. The All-Seeing Buddha Sect never rejected it and have kept the sword until today.”
“It’s a shame that First Sword Taihua has disappeared after entering the demon world. If it’s possible, I would like to discuss scriptures with First Sword Taihua again.”
The old monk wore a reminiscing expression and spoke with a tone full of regret.
Fang Lang felt as though the old monk’s expression was extremely similar to Old Huang, the blacksmith. He could not help but smile. The charm of his master, Xuanyuan Taihua, was extremely strong.
It was understandable that Old Huang had fallen for it. However, even someone from outside the sect had also fallen for her charms!
Fang Lang relaxed his guard. It seemed as though the old monk was a friend and not a foe. Of course, Fang Lang could not be sure if that was true or false.
However, if he truly encountered danger, his master’s divine sense would be released from the Reincarnating Lotus Sword in his hand.
Besides, according to the old monk, they need him for the Battle of PaG.o.das. Hence, Fang Lang felt as though he was safe.
Fang Lang would need to go to the All-Seeing Buddha Sect sooner or later. He had already retrieved the Reincarnating Lotus Sword. He would need to retrieve the Circling Lotus Sword in the All-Seeing Buddha sect as well.
Since that was the case, there were only benefits to be gained and no harm done to head to the All-Seeing Buddha Sect.
Hence, Fang Lang felt emboldened. Instead of remaining trapped in Linjiang City, why not head over to the All-Seeing Buddha Sect for a visit?
Once he decided, Fang Lang shook out his blood-red robes and smiled at the old monk, clasping his hands and bowing slightly. “Since that’s the case, I am willing to contribute my strength in this Battle of PaG.o.das.”
When the old monk heard his words, he instantly broke out in a wide grin. He pressed his palms together and nodded at Fang Lang.
“In that case, I extend my thanks to you, Benefactor Fang.”
After that, the old monk turned around. His monk robes billowed like the petals of a lotus flower, untouched by dust.
The old monk took a step out and the vital energy on his body surged like a violent wave. The rune was instantly destroyed, disappearing into thin air!
His frightful power was like a Luohan stepping out!
Fang Lang took a deep breath and stepped out behind the old monk.
The Barricade Rune cast by the Main Path Guild warriors was destroyed by the aura of the old monk.
Fang Lang followed behind him, completely un.o.bstructed!