Chapter 254
Chapter 254
The moment danger appeared, Eighth Master Chang needed no reminder from Chen Daji. He pushed his speed to the limit.
“Dodge! Dodge! Dodge again!”
Eighth Master was fast, but the flesh-formed guardian warrior was no slower. Through turn after turn of the chase, Eighth Master Chang could not shake it completely.
Chen Daji grew anxious.
“Eighth Master, can’t you go any faster? That nasty little thing is about to stab me in the butt!”
At the critical moment, Hua Jiunan had to intervene. He raised his Copper Coin Sword and chanted.
“Heaven and Earth arise of themselves; foul qi scatters and divides. Within the cavern, mystery and void; brilliant shines the Great Origin.
“The mighty gods of eight directions grant me natural power. By the talisman command of the Numinous Treasure, let all Nine Heavens know.
“Qianluo and Dana, cavern firmament and Great Mystery. Slay demons, bind evil, deliver myriad souls.
“The divine incantation of Zhongshan, jade script of the Primordial Beginning. Recite it once to dispel illness and prolong life.
“Its command travels the Five Sacred Mountains; the Eight Seas hear and know. Demon kings bow their heads and stand guard before my carriage.
“All vicious filth disperses; the qi of the Dao endures. As swiftly as the law commands!”
When Hua Jiunan acted, he held nothing back. He had invoked the Heaven-and-Earth Purification Incantation, one of Daoism’s eight great divine incantations.
A fragrant pillar of light descended from the sky, accompanied by faint celestial music. The flesh guardian summoned through evil arts was engulfed by it. With a piercing shriek, it vanished in an instant.
As soon as the danger passed, Chen Daji became cocky again. His slingshot whistled again and again as he fired at Faqing, master of the Mahayana Sect.
“Hey, fat monk! My boss killed that little red fellow you spat out. Keep spitting. Even if you cough up your large intestine, it still won’t do you any good!”
Faqing was already violent and bloodthirsty. Under such provocation, he flew into a towering rage.
“Namo Amitabha! Boy, you die today!”
He was about to rush over and teach Chen Daji a lesson when Luo Menghong grabbed him.
Others might not recognize what they had just witnessed, but the master of the Luo Sect certainly did. The Heaven-and-Earth Purification Incantation was no art an ordinary Daoist could wield.
It would be wiser to learn the group’s background first. Otherwise, they might offend someone they could not afford to provoke and bring death upon themselves.
“The True-Void Homeland. The Unborn Parents. Young Friend, you know one of Daoism’s secret teachings. May I ask who your master is?”
“All the gods beneath Heaven came from the school of my Unborn Venerable Mother. By that reckoning, perhaps you should even call me Patriarch.”
Chen Daji immediately let loose a stream of abuse.
“What the hell, you old Daoist? Are you shameless enough to take advantage of my boss? Nothing good comes from claiming false seniority. You’ll be the first one into the human-smelting furnace. Ever heard that saying?”
He was about to continue when Hua Jiunan stopped him.
Hua Jiunan knew that with his present cultivation, he could not possibly defeat the two leaders of the evil sects. He was therefore happy to trade idle words with Luo Menghong and stall for time. Ideally, he could delay them until Ghost Elder, Snow Corpse, and Li Guang returned.
After quietly instructing Eighth Master Chang to maintain a safe distance from the enemy, Hua Jiunan gave Luo Menghong a formal Daoist salute.
“Boundless Celestial Worthy. This Humble Daoist descends from the lineage of Immortal Master Ge Hong. Fellow Daoist Luo, why should I call you Patriarch?”
Hua Jiunan regarded the Luo Sect Master with open mockery.
Luo Menghong was left speechless. His old face flushed scarlet. However arrogant he might be, he did not dare compare himself to one of the Four Great Celestial Masters. Now that he knew Hua Jiunan’s lineage, if he still demanded to be called Patriarch, a bolt of heavenly lightning might strike him between the eyes on the spot.
Only after steadying himself did Luo Menghong slowly speak.
“I did not expect Fellow Daoist to descend from a Celestial Master’s lineage. I have been disrespectful. There is no old grievance or recent enmity between us. We merely met by chance today. Why, then, do you stop Buddha Faqing and me from returning to the mortal world?”
Hua Jiunan flicked back the hem of his Daoist robe, his smile turning even more sardonic.
“If you two wish to return to the mortal world, you have taken the wrong road. For your deeds, you should suffer every punishment in the Eighteen Levels of Hell, drink Meng Po’s Soup, and be reborn into the Animal Realm. Only then will Heaven’s net prove vast, its mesh wide yet letting nothing escape.”
Luo Menghong looked like a refined immortal, but he was vicious and treacherous beneath the surface. Hua Jiunan’s rebuke sent his fury surging to the heavens.
“Good, good, good! Since you refuse the easy way, you will get the hard way. Do not blame this Sect Master for showing no mercy. Today I shall test the strength of a Celestial Master’s lineage!”
He whipped his horsetail whisk through the air, releasing stream after stream of black qi.
“The True-Void Homeland. The Unborn Parents.
“All gathered beings wander lost, without sweet dew, without hope. The Unborn Venerable Mother guides the way and delivers you through ten lives back home!
“Unborn True-Void Paradise, arise!”
Hua Jiunan and the others were on high alert, but none of them expected Luo Menghong to cast an art resembling the Sumeru Illusion Realm. They were caught at once.