Chapter 422: Chapter 140 Another Traitor Among Us
It seemed like they each took a step back, yet suddenly they lashed out violently.
It looked as if swords were drawn and bows were tense, but the moment to cease hostilities had nearly arrived.
This sudden attack did not grant the three of them what they desired. Neither the Holy Infant King’s Substitute Divine Power, the Rashamon Woman’s Taiyi General-cutting Spell, nor Ashuren’s Asura Eight Steps revealed the true depths of their abilities.
Moreover, from this brief exchange, none of the three were confident in their ability to defeat either of the other two. In that case, it was better to stop and continue to act as harmonious comrades.
That is, unless a troublemaker appeared...
Sword light flashed brilliantly and rapidly toward the monk sitting cross-legged on the city wall, its piercing might shooting straight toward his face.
"Om Amitabha Buddha."
The monk brought his palms together in prayer with a serene demeanor, chanting the sacred name. A certain tranquil auspiciousness emanated from him. A Golden Arhat Dharma Form enveloped his body, also with palms joined in prayer, sitting atop a giant lotus, and in the blink of an eye between lightning and flame, captured the sword light.
"Clang!"
The brilliant sword light was caught between golden palms. The Golden Arhat exuded peace, and from between his palms, Buddha’s light penetrated, turning the sword Qi golden.
However, almost simultaneously, a sneaky and formless sword intent seeped into the Dharma Form, stirring up waves within the monk’s heart.
The monk within the Arhat Dharma Form suddenly furrowed his brows, losing his calm and revealing a fierce demeanor, "Troublesome demon!"
The Golden Arhat displayed an identical expression, seemingly unaffected by the Heart Demon Secret Sword.
The Dharma Form’s hands emitted Buddha Light, and the monk vocalized the Dharma, declaring loudly, "Buddha’s light shines universally."
The Buddha Light illuminated the world with the power to fill heaven and earth, intending to convert and purify countless beings. Everyone inside and outside Jiangyang County could sense this profound energy.
All Arhat Dao Fruits possess the three great Divine Powers of Killing Thieves, Lifeless, and Ying Gong. Killing Thieves eliminates the ignorance and afflictions, clarifying the mind. Lifeless enables one to transcend life and death and attain Nirvana, unaffected by Dao Fruit Divine Powers that control life and death. Ying Gong is to receive the respect and offerings of all people and Heaven.
Any reverent thoughts towards monks would be absorbed by the Ying Gong Divine Power, working together with the Summoning Technique to enhance the Dharma Form’s capabilities.
The monk had previously stopped the invasion of the Black Water Mysterious Snake and averted a calamity for the city. Naturally, the city’s inhabitants would feel reverence which was automatically absorbed by the Ying Gong Divine Power, further strengthening the Dharma Form. At this moment, the Dharma Form merged with its human counterpart, whose presence and might surpassed even the Black Water Mysterious Snake, You Mountain Lord.
This was the shamelessness of Buddha Country’s cultivators; nearly all cultivated the Summoning Technique and practiced creating an External Dharma Form. If their faith was strong enough, the External Dharma Form would be equivalent to another self.
Though not as agile as the original body, its strength was no less.
Engaging with cultivators from the Buddha Country meant preparing to fight one against two.
With Buddha Light shining universally, even the dazzling sword Qi would be overshadowed. But, as the Buddha’s energy soared to the heavens, decay descended from above, a malignant cloud of evil dropped from the sky.
It was the Five Vile Qi!
The Five Vile Qi shattered the Buddha Light as easily as dry rot. In a blink, it decimated most of the universal radiance. A figure wreathed in Evil Qi rushed in and grasped the sword light—
"Boom!"
The dark Qi, like giant waves crashing onto the shore, shattered the hands of the Arhat Dharma Form with the force of a landslide, too swift for any reaction.
Against an External Dharma Form, which is a concentration of external forces, the Five Vile Qi was extremely powerful, almost like a natural enemy.
With Jiang Li’s current level of cultivation, the Five Vile Qi he gathered was enough to destroy any fifth-rank Dharma Form.
One moment it was shining everywhere, and in the blink of an eye, it was on the brink of collapse. The figure holding the sword plunged through the Arhat Dharma Form, suspended in mid-air, and sheathed his sword back into an invisible sheath, turning the surrounding area into a sword sheath enveloping the blade.
Then, unsheathed!
The sword, tainted with filth, cut through all decaying matter, its bleak sword light seeming to envelop and devour the monk completely.
"Zheng!"
The sword light crossed the Arhat Dharma Form, the watchtower, and finally the streets, leaving a deep sword scar.
Subsequently, the watchtower crumbled, the Arhat Dharma Form was cleaved in half, the Buddha Light faded, and slowly disappeared.
What remained on the broken city wall was a muscular, bare-chested monk.
His previously skinny body had transformed significantly. His thick arms shone with a dim gold, blocking in front. A deep sword scar stretched across both arms revealing a bone-deep wound, with a black Qi hovering over the injury, corrupting the flesh.
He had blocked the sword, but at a considerable cost.
"So, it was the Sitting Arhat."
The figure in mid-air laughed heartily, seemingly not surprised that his sword was blocked. He swiftly retreated, avoiding a sudden Dragon Claw.
A White Dragon soared through the sky, clouds scattered by its probing claws, leaving behind a gusting claw mark and emitting a deep dragon roar at Jiang Li’s original position.
Upon the White Dragon stood a white-clad monk with an erect palm, otherworldly as if an immortal Buddha.
The Awakened’s chief disciple—Hui Lun.
The long-absent old friend still possessed his charm and had held back for a long time, only acting after Jiang Li’s strike, capturing the timing with exceptional precision.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t conceal his presence from Jiang Li.
Enveloped in dark Qi, a pair of eyes revealed complex patterns. The Emperor’s Qi Observation Skill made everything clear, and Jiang Li had been aware of his existence long ago.
Dodging Hui Lun’s surprise attack, Jiang Li struck back like a Prophet, his palm force manifesting out of thin air to block an incoming golden palm imprint.
Upon contact, the two palms rang out like a great bell striking, echoing visible sound waves. An immense collision of great strength occurred, and even Jiang Li’s Innate True Body struggled to overwhelm the other.
"Bang!"
In the spreading shockwave, Jiang Li backpedaled through the air, from swift to slow, until he eventually floated down, stopping three feet above the ground.
The other, however, landed on the city wall, hands joined in prayer, humbly chanting the Buddha’s name, "Om Amitabha Buddha."
The monk on the wall had ordinary features, a sun-browned complexion, and the look of one weather-beaten. Clad in a coarse cloth robe and straw sandals, he appeared as a pilgrim monk.
He seemed ordinary, but ordinary monks could not possibly match Jiang Li’s palm force.
"Buddha’s Scripture of the Strongman Moving Mountains from the Buddha Country?" Jiang Li whispered the supreme Body Refining Technique of the Buddha Country, looking towards the Mongolian Monk, "What is the monk’s name?"
"Amitabha," the voice of the Mongolian Monk sounded like a morning bell, distant and clear, "This humble monk is Hui Neng, greetings, Benefactor."
"So you’re the second Disciple of the Awakened, no wonder." Jiang Li said with a light laugh.
The Sitting Arhat, originally a Powerful Warrior, had calmed his killing heart and intentions after becoming a monk and attaining true results. The name of this Dao Fruit might not sound impressive, but it belonged to one of the Eighteen Arhats, and was not an ordinary figure.
Jiang Li had only been able to launch a sneak attack successfully using the Five Vile Qi. Still, even so, after the Sitting Arhat rose to his feet, he managed to forcefully block the sword attack.
Plus, with Hui Lun and Hui Neng, two Disciple of the Awakened, present, Jiang Li absolutely could not pursue the victory and threaten the life of this fifth-rank monk.
Not to mention that Disciples of the Awakened had arrived, and who knew what powerful reinforcements were en route to this place.
But it did not matter; Jiang Li had already obtained what he wanted.
Enveloped in black Qi, his tone revealed not the slightest disappointment at the interruption of his attack.
He drifted over to the three harmonious believers, his gaze deep and probing, "I want the ’Moluo Sword Manual’."
This statement was quite abrupt and caused all three to show expressions of surprise. Ashuren even let out a sequence of skeletal shifting sounds as his two heads turned towards Jiang Li, four gaze seeming to penetrate the Five Vile Qi and meet with a pair of profound eyes.
—Do you know what I’m talking about?
A strange feeling emerged in Ashuren’s heart; he seemed to understand the other’s meaning.
Jiang Li’s words were directed at him.
Only Ashuren possessed the ’Moluo Sword Manual’, and only Ashuren, when his Heart Demon Secret Sword cut through the Arhat Dharma Form, felt a sudden surge in his heart.
Jiang Li’s assault on the monks on the walls wasn’t to kill monks and enter the city but to identify who was from Buddha Country. His main Perception had always been focused on the three harmonious and loving believers.
As for what to do after finding someone from Buddha Country?
One was to ascertain their details, to facilitate future actions; the second naturally was to see if there were any opportunities to exploit.
Of course, it might be that none among the three was from Buddha Country, but this would not be a great loss for Jiang Li.
However, the outcome was beyond his expectations; it turned out Ashuren was the one from Buddha Country.
Ashuren’s eyes bulged as he stared intently at Jiang Li. His bared upper body’s muscles pulsed, the dark red color slowly becoming clearer.
He was weighing the odds of breaking the situation.
And the conclusion was—
There was no chance of winning.
Jiang Li stood before him, blocking the way forward, while Rashamon and the Holy Infant King, the two amiable believers, were on either side. They might not understand Jiang Li’s intentions, but as soon as Jiang Li shouted, revealing his identity, they would definitely take action to stop him.
For the Nine Provinces, Buddha Country was a true foreign power, especially for the Mystic Sect, which held extreme apprehension towards it. Otherwise, there wouldn’t have been the incident of the Daoist Lord’s journey westward, resulting in the schism of Buddha Country.
If they turned hostile, Ashuren would face certain death, and he might not even survive long enough to receive help from the three on the walls.
Previously, when the four of them each made a move, they almost took the life of You Mountain Lord. Had it not been for You Mountain Lord’s life-saving ace, perhaps there would have been no need for Jiang Li’s later intervention. Now, even though they were one person fewer, no one had fully exerted their strength before.
The probing just now had allowed Ashuren to confirm that neither Rashamon Woman nor the Holy Infant King was weaker than himself.
Three against one, certain death.
On the other hand, as long as he didn’t turn against "Li Qinglian," with one gone, even if the other two knew Ashuren’s identity, he still had a chance to save his own life.
It was a simple multiple-choice question: life or death.
And Jiang Li wasn’t worried that Ashuren wouldn’t have the ’Moluo Sword Manual’ fragment; since the news had already spread, it meant Ashuren indeed had it, and he might have even deliberately let the news out, cooperating in verifying the truth and the lies.
For this reason, Ashuren had been confirmed to be related to the Fire House Buddha Hell.
So...
"Take it." Ashuren reached behind himself and pulled out a rolled-up cloth item from nowhere, tossing it to Jiang Li.
There’s an old saying in Divine Country, ’He who understands the times is a wise man.’
Having spent a long time in the Nine Provinces, Ashuren had also learned the essence of this saying.
Faced with a simple choice between two options, Ashuren did not hesitate to choose life.
Handing over the ’Moluo Sword Manual’ was quite straightforward. Or perhaps, did Li Qinglian’s reputation guarantee this result?
But it didn’t matter.
Jiang Li caught the cloth roll and threw a spherical object back, saying, "Here, this is for you."
Ashuren instinctively caught it and looked down, his eyes met with a pair of eyes that refused to close in death.
"You Mountain Lord!"
Ashuren called out quietly, his gaze falling on Jiang Li’s left hand.
It seemed... "Li Qinglian" had never used his left hand before, either when drawing the sword or delivering a palm strike, always using his right.
Meaning, he had been holding You Mountain Lord’s head the entire time.
’To still have spare strength!’ Ashuren was shocked internally, "Truly... terrifying indeed."