If the living dead of the Impermanence Sect were so prone to losing control, they would have wiped themselves out long ago… This was the first thought that flashed through Toghus’s mind. In his perception, the Evil Desire Bodhisattva had clearly not anticipated the situation either. Although she had remained vigilant for possible changes, the sudden outbreak, particularly from “Feilian,” someone considered least likely to cause internal strife by self-destructing, caught her completely off guard, forcing her to respond in panic.
Under Evil Desire Bodhisattva’s feet emerged a seven-petaled lotus throne, a mixture of red and white. The white was fresh and ethereal, like emptiness itself, while the red was intense, brimming with deep carnal desire, evoking a sensation of both corrupt decadence and serene purity. It radiated boundless light, conjuring massive lotuses in the surrounding space, petal by petal blooming.
At the same time, her hands formed seals, her feet stepping rapidly. Her body began to fade, as if attempting to invert yin and yang, altering the flow of cosmic energies, folding and overlapping the distant void with her current location, preparing to escape the core zone of the living dead’s self-destruction.
In her perception, whether it was Gu Xiaosang, Toghus, or the Six Desires Buddha, the Supreme Malevolent Demon, or the Mother Shaman, none extended aid. Some had not reacted yet, while others hesitated briefly before stepping back, wearing ambiguous smiles, as if watching her die.
I won’t let you have your way! Evil Desire Bodhisattva knew well that this investigation team was united in appearance only, courteous on the surface while secretly wishing each other dead. Yet, even she was angered by such cold indifference. However, as a master-level cultivator, she had undergone extensive trials. Though angry, her heart remained calm as she prepared to flee.
Just then, her expression suddenly changed drastically, her fading body seemingly stuck in place, unable to escape as planned!
“Feilian” revealed a glimmer of liberation in his eyes. Every drop of blood, every inch of skin, every muscle swelled, as if mighty rivers surged in place. The self-destructive momentum could no longer be stopped. Though his intellect was low, his body was that of a half-step Dharma Body!
Boom!
Toghus first saw a blinding white light and rolling fire waves, then heard the deafening explosion. His mind raced, his body flickered, and he instantly teleported outside the leader’s tent, avoiding the brunt of the blast.
Then, he saw the Six Desires Buddha, the Supreme Malevolent Demon, and the Great Luo Holy Maiden each employing their techniques to defend. Some grew massive in size, sitting atop lotus thrones, striking down with golden hands. Others wielded pitch-black demon banners, unleashing thick waves of turbidity. Some conjured white lotuses drifting down, bringing calm and clarity to the void, pacifying the flames and storms. Still others opened a vertical eye on their forehead, with divine figures faintly visible behind them, parting the waves with a single finger.
With their intervention, the terrifying self-destruction was contained within a small area, only violent winds blowing out, toppling tents one by one.
As the light faded, Toghus’s vision and perception returned. The former site of the leader’s tent was now flattened, scattered pieces of broken lotus thrones lying around, bloodstains evaporated, leaving only faint traces. A few pieces of pale golden clothing drifted with the residual winds, and two cracked short swords lay haphazardly on the ground—treasured weapons. The Evil Desire Bodhisattva herself and her other belongings were completely shattered, no longer visible to the naked eye!
The power of a half-step Dharma Body’s self-destruction was truly terrifying… Toghus sensed the lingering resentment in Evil Desire Bodhisattva’s remnants, his eye twitching. Had he been in her place, standing directly in “Feilian’s” path without timely escape from the core zone, he too would have perished without a trace.
Thus, a dark sect master perished unwillingly.
“Supreme Malevolent Demon, you were the closest to the living dead before this happened. His loss of control must not be coincidental,” suddenly a clear, spring-like voice entered Toghus’s ears—it was the enigmatic “Great Luo Holy Maiden” Gu Xiaosang speaking.
Exactly! The living dead’s loss of control was definitely no accident! Someone must have wanted to kill using this opportunity and monopolize the final secret! Toghus recovered from the shock, his gaze shifting toward the Supreme Malevolent Demon, who wore a wooden hairpin and looked pale.
The Supreme Malevolent Demon, with eyes reflecting a weary wisdom, smiled faintly: “When you seek to accuse, excuses are never lacking. Miss Gu, your timely departure before Feilian’s self-destruction seemed overly deliberate—could you have known beforehand?”
At this moment, the Six Desires Buddha sighed regretfully: “Such a beautiful body is a pity to lose. As a master cultivator, she should have had some premonition of imminent danger. Yet I sensed nothing. I only saw Evil Desire in confusion when Feilian’s self-destruction became unstoppable. Perhaps someone disrupted the heavenly signs and obscured her spiritual clarity.”
Instantly, a scene flashed through Toghus’s mind: delicate fingers swiftly forming seals, graceful in motion.
“It was you!” Toghus glared furiously at Gu Xiaosang.
It was she who had concealed the warning signs just now!
The important mission entrusted by the Khan had gone awry, and his anger was understandable.
Gu Xiaosang remained holy and serene, her eyes like vast starry skies, smiling faintly: “Buddhism excels in salvation, and Master possesses the Mind-Reading Ability. Though a heretical sect, reviving a living dead should not be difficult for you. I merely seized the opportunity to push things forward.”
The Six Desires Buddha gazed at Gu Xiaosang’s beauty, chuckling: “If it were me acting, you wouldn’t have noticed. Such a perfectly timed concealment of danger—how could that be explained by mere opportunism? The Pure Land claims to be the homeland and final refuge for all sentient beings. Freeing a living dead shouldn’t be hard.”
With prior evidence supporting this, Toghus leaned more toward the Six Desires Buddha’s words, coldly demanding: “Master, did your Mind-Reading Ability yield anything?”
He was already prepared to act. Though reluctant to kill for fear of offending the Luo Sect, he would capture Gu Xiaosang to prevent her from further provocation and murder.
The Six Desires Buddha chuckled: “The Supreme Malevolent Demon has a clear mind. On one hand, he strongly suspects Miss Gu, while on the other, he has resolved to treat it as her doing regardless of truth, uniting us to capture her. She is mysterious and formidable; once she gets a chance, she must be ‘eliminated’ first.”
Toghus saw the Supreme Malevolent Demon’s pale face slightly change color, clearly surprised that the Six Desires Buddha’s Mind-Reading Ability was so terrifying, capable of extracting true thoughts from a flood of deliberate distractions.
Previously, the Six Desires Buddha had merely demonstrated his Mind-Reading Ability in front of Toghus, others knew of it but were unaware of its actual effectiveness.
Gu Xiaosang’s eyebrows lifted, smiling ambiguously at the Supreme Malevolent Demon: “Deservedly so, whether it was you or not.”
Her tone was smiling, yet laced with chilling intent.
The Six Desires Buddha continued: “Miss Gu shows no thoughts, her mind sealed tight. I cannot hear her. But if she had no ill intent, why behave this way?”
“Master truly speaks eloquently, turning white into black,” Gu Xiaosang still refused to concede.
“Hmph, even now you won’t admit it? Then let’s settle it with fists!” “Mother Shaman” Tuoya sneered coldly.
The Six Desires Buddha slightly shifted his gaze, scanning Tuoya from her dignified face to her curvaceous figure, making her heart churn with anger, as if violated by this lustful monk.
“Miss Tuoya, you are rejoicing and mocking us, happy we failed to notice,” the Six Desires Buddha grinned.
Tuoya’s face instantly changed: “You… you…”
She could barely speak.
The Six Desires Buddha smiled: “At the final moment, Evil Desire had a fifty to sixty percent chance of escaping the core zone, but failed, frozen in place. This was certainly not fate’s doing.”
“Do you think your secret techniques can block my Mind-Reading Ability? Do you underestimate me?”
“The Ruyi Curse!” Toghus suddenly realized—it was the mysterious ability of the Ruyi Mother, capable of turning fortune into misfortune and vice versa. He had seen it before but had been too hasty in escaping the tent to notice.
Tuoya’s face darkened: “You lustful monk, lusting after my body, spouting nonsense! We don’t have Mind-Reading Ability—how can we know if you’re lying?”
“My words are supplementary. The key lies in judgment based on prior circumstances. I believe Master Toghus has already discerned the truth and made his decision,” the Six Desires Buddha said solemnly, adopting the demeanor of a venerable monk. However, his next words ruined the image: “Master Toghus, I dare not touch the Eternal Mother, but as for Miss Tuoya, please capture her alive for my amusement. I shall reward you well.”
He said it so boldly, showing no shame whatsoever.
Toghus nodded slightly. His body suddenly vanished, reappearing behind Tuoya, cleaving downward with a blade flashing like lightning, showing no other signs.
His specialty was sudden attacks, especially now, fueled by anger and hatred, he only wished to wound Tuoya severely.
The shamans of the Eternal Life Sect had repeatedly sabotaged the Golden Tent’s plans. Toghus had long harbored resentment, and now discovering her involvement again, old and new grudges surged forth, overwhelming his restraint, prompting him to strike first.
Meanwhile, he sensed the Six Desires Buddha and the Supreme Malevolent Demon simultaneously attacking the “Great Luo Holy Maiden” Gu Xiaosang.
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