Chapter 191: A Cup of Tea, A Book, An Entire Day
Chapter 191: A Cup of Tea, A Book, An Entire Day
Three Corpse Commanders!
Their strength was in no way inferior to a late-stage Golden Core cultivator. Coupled with the stall owner himself, who also exuded the aura of a late-stage Golden Core, this was an adversary not to be provoked.
Some cultivators choose the path of beast tamers, subduing spirit pets to fight for them. However, when spirit pets face truly terrifying enemies, they might flee the battlefield.
Corpse puppets, in most cases, fight fearlessly to the death. Once given an order by their master, they attack like mad dogs, never relenting until the enemy is dead.
Of course, if there is a shortage of meat or they encounter a stronger corpse puppet or ghost, even one's own corpse puppets might flee. Generally, corpse puppets are far more ferocious, loyal, and fearless than spirit pets!
No one dared to provoke someone who could summon three Corpse Commanders on a whim.
Chu Xuan spoke calmly, "Who was it just now that wanted to kill me? Step forward."
With a swish, the cultivators instinctively stepped back, singling out the unfortunate instigator.
The cultivator's face turned pale in an instant. "Senior, please hear me out, I..."
"I'm not interested," Chu Xuan stated flatly.
The cultivator clenched his teeth and immediately tried to flee using an escape technique. Bao suddenly vanished. When he reappeared, a dagger flickering with ghostly flames was already plunged into the cultivator's back.
Chu Xuan casually collected the body, tossing it into the Corpse Nurturing Tower, while nonchalantly clipping the storage bag to his waist. The entire process was smooth and undisputed.
His actions left no doubt about his identity—a true demonic cultivator!
Silence still dominated the scene that one could hear a pin drop.
"Let's not be so tense. I came here to do business, not to kill," Chu Xuan said with a chuckle.
Only then did the cultivators manage an awkward smile and begin approaching to buy his goods. However, their gaze towards Chu Xuan was filled with newfound respect and fear.
Every Golden Core cultivator there silently cautioned themselves never to provoke this formidable figure.
The old cultivator next to Chu Xuan watched him and murmured, "So that's it... Real strength is the true essence of doing business."
The tightly sought-after demonic pills and talismans were quickly sold out. Even though Chu Xuan's prices were steep, the cultivators had no choice but to grit their teeth and tighten their belts to make the purchases.
Before noon had even arrived, Chu Xuan's stall was completely sold out. He promptly closed up shop, gathered his three corpse puppets and swiftly departed.
"Follow him."
Several shadows darted through the crowd, coldly fixating on Chu Xuan's retreating figure and chasing after him.
Chu Xuan caught a glimpse of them from the corner of his eye and couldn't help but let out a cold laugh. He had anticipated that unveiling so many demonic pills and talismans and tending to three corpse puppets would attract certain individuals' attention.
The Majestic Sword Sect and the Celestial Sound Zen Temple, both proponents of accumulating virtue, believed that rearing corpse puppets necessitated the slaughter of numerous mortals, certainly accruing vast amounts of bad karma.
If they could eliminate Chu Xuan, the demonic cultivator, his amassed evil deeds would convert into their virtue. Killing a deeply wicked demonic cultivator could yield more virtue than saving hundreds of thousands of mortals!
It was likely that the cultivators from these two sects would relish the opportunity to eradicate him.
"I'm not playing this game with you," Chu Xuan muttered as he retracted his three corpse puppets into the Corpse Nurturing Tower. He then expended some of his merit to activate the Mahayana Swift Escape, a technique that instantly boosted his escape speed to the extreme, disappearing into the vast wilderness in a blink.
The three pursuing monks from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple were dumbfounded.
"What kind of speed is that? Is that even possible for a Golden Core stage cultivator?"
The leading monk, Yuanming from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple, his expression grim, ordered, "Have all the junior brothers in the city come out and join the search for this demon."
"He carries immense evil deeds and surely cannot enter the city. He must have a hideout somewhere outside," he continued, "Focus the search on nearby caves and caverns!"
The two monks beside him nodded immediately, "Yes!"
As other cultivators looked on bewildered, about eight Golden Core monks from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple surged out of Righteous Dao City, seeking traces of the demonic cultivator. They also enlisted numerous other Golden Core cultivators, hoping they could assist in the search.
Since Yuanming was an honorary elder sponsored by the Duan family, the Duan family's cultivators naturally participated as well. Soon, a vast net was cast, thoroughly searching every inch of land within a hundred li of Righteous Dao City.
Duan Que, too, was one of the Duan family's cultivators dispatched to hunt the demonic cultivator. However, he understood the true essence of the task at hand. Finding a shaded spot, he settled down with a cup of tea and a book, content to spend the entire day there.
"Hmm... to think they would duel in such a posture, even managing to fight atop an alchemy furnace in the alchemy room..."
"Sss... one is never too old to learn!" he exclaimed.
At that moment, footsteps approached.
"Benefactor Duan, why are you reading here? Oh, is that an erotic painting?"
Duan Que looked up. He coughed discreetly and subtly tucked away the book illustrated with images of men and women fighting.
Then, with feigned surprise, he exclaimed, "Master Huikong, is that you?"
By this time, Chu Xuan had already reassumed his identity as Huikong, the high monk from the Golden Dragon Temple. He smiled and said, "This humble monk has been out clearing ancient beast carcasses, and this morning I found only about a dozen Nether Crocodile corpses."
Duan Que chuckled, "Nether Crocodile bodies are tough, making them difficult to kill. Their carcasses aren't commonly found on the surface; one must venture into caverns to find them."
Chu Xuan nodded, "I see, I have learned something new today."
Duan Que glanced around and whispered, "Master Huikong, you should return to the city. The Celestial Sound Zen Temple is currently searching for a demonic cultivator, and I'm concerned you might draw their attention."
As he spoke, Duan Que stood up decisively. "Let me escort you back; I worry that Yuanming might target you. After all, there are eight monks from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple outside right now, and if they intend to do something, no one would dare to stop them."
Chu Xuan looked at Duan Que with a hint of surprise. This man's actions were somewhat unexpected. Was he really going to escort him all the way back to Righteous Dao City?
"Such kindness is deeply appreciated," Chu Xuan intoned a Buddhist chant and pressed his palms together in thanks.
"It's nothing," Duan Que replied with an embarrassed smile. "I've always felt regret that the Duan family didn't take you in as an honorary elder."
Together, they headed toward the city. As they approached, however, they unexpectedly came upon two monks from the Celestial Sound Zen Temple who were killing two cultivators. In the blink of an eye, the two cultivators were fatally wounded, their lives extinguished. The monks even spat on their corpses afterward.
"Hmph, demonic cultivators, they all deserve to die!"
Duan Que recognized one of the monks—it was none other than Yuanming. His heart sank. But now that they had been spotted, there was nothing to do but greet them.
Duan Que cheerily called out, "Master Yuanming, what a pleasant coincidence to meet you here."
Yuanming nodded slightly, his gaze shifting past Duan Que to land on Chu Xuan. He recognized Chu Xuan of course. Heretics were even more despised than heretical cultists. From the first day Chu Xuan arrived in Righteous Dao City from Mystic Azure Star's Golden Dragon Temple, Yuanming had known about him.
"Huikong? I've long admired your reputation," Yuanming said, twirling the twin moon ringed sabers in his hands, his smile ambiguous. "How about a spar with this humble monk?"
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