Chapter 81: Undercurrents Surge
“Saint Disciple?” Jiang Ce heard the term for the first time: “Batch disciple! Don’t touch porcelain, we’re really not familiar.”
But the Heaven-Reaching Dharma Master of the Gluttonous Ghost could no longer hear these words, because he was already dead.
Xuan Qing, after the great battle, had unsteady steps. After withdrawing his Dao Sword, he showed no sign of relaxation; instead, his expression grew even more grave: “Saint Disciple. Could it be that the Gluttonous Ghost proficient in the way of assassination is one of their Saint Disciples?”
“It’s quite possible. During the fight with him, I already found it strange. Every one of his attacks was as precise as a machine; if one strike missed, he immediately retreated. Whether it was his combat awareness or the viciousness of his moves, it was something I’d never seen before. Even if he’s not a Saint Disciple, he couldn’t possibly be a nobody.”
Qin Shen Bo dragged his body, which was like a broken sandbag, and struggled over. But his expression remained resolute, as if he wasn’t injured at all.
Jiang Ce pursed his lips: “So what exactly is a Saint Disciple.”
Currently, the only ones still conscious and able to stand and talk were the three of them, but clearly the other two knew what a Saint Disciple was, while he seemed like an outsider.
This feeling was very unpleasant.
You can explain how awesome Saint Disciples are, and Jiang Ce is satisfied, but if you don’t tell me what they are, Jiang Ce doesn’t like it.
Qin Shen Bo tried to walk over but nearly fell. Fortunately, Jiang Ce stepped forward to support him, barely holding him up.
“The successor to the Helmsman of the Gluttonous Ghost, and the strongest one among them was personally trained by the Gluttonous Ghost’s lord, the Saint Emperor, as his next successor. If that guy really was a Saint Disciple, then things are probably not that simple.” Xuan Qing gazed at the pile of ashes in the corner and the skull crushed by Jiang Ce as he sat on it, and sighed.
Jiang Ce couldn’t help but complain: “It’s really strange. Why is the Gluttonous Ghost’s boss called the Saint Emperor, and then they have Saint Disciples too? It sounds like some super awesome Immortal Sect.”
Hearing this, Qin Shen Bo rarely smiled: “Of course that’s what they call themselves. The Gatekeeper and Righteous Sects generally call them Ghost Emperor and Ghost Disciples. Gluttonous Ghost is also our name for them; they call themselves Holy Envoys.”
“So why not just call them little ghosts?”
Qin Shen Bo’s smile froze. To be honest, if they really called them that, it would indeed carry built-in hatred.
Xuan Qing clearly lacked Jiang Ce’s sense of humor and urged: “Let’s leave here first. This time, fortunately no one sacrificed. Jiang Ce, you take the lead credit.
But the matter of the Saint Disciple cannot be taken lightly. If what he said is true, then Jiang Ce, by killing a Saint Disciple, you probably already have a Death Curse on you. No matter whose disciple he is from which Helmsman, he’s a Gatekeeper-level figure, not someone I can deal with.
Now we need to hurry back and report this to Xiao Zhi Men.”
Hearing Xuan Qing say this, Jiang Ce inexplicably became tense.
He wasn’t Xiao Yan; how could he run into this cliché plot of beating the little one and the old one coming?
But it was reasonable. After all, he’d taken out someone’s disciple, equivalent to their own son. It wouldn’t make sense for the father not to show up.
But thinking carefully, Jiang Ce wasn’t tense anymore. Actually, it was just like that.
Hah, not convinced? Then come try Cao Zheng and Wei Lao?
Even if they don’t make a move, there’s still Jie Tan and Xiao Lin.
You only have one dad; why compete with me?
Saint Disciple? I’ll make sure he comes but doesn’t return!
“But how do we get back? I just circled around and didn’t find the exit.”
At this moment, Jiang Ce felt uncomfortable all over, but his mentality was still relaxed. He accidentally blurted out the truth.
Fortunately, Xuan Qing and Qin Shen Bo were both straightforward people and wouldn’t speculate on others with malicious intent, so they didn’t take it to heart.
Xuan Qing pointed to the big pit that had just been smashed out by that Heaven-Reaching Dharma Master and said with self-mockery:
“Ridiculous. I know a thing or two about Formations, yet I didn’t see that this disk was just a device for absorbing Resentment. I thought the Corpse King was on it. If he hadn’t smashed open the disk, I might still have been kept in the dark. I have to say, when it comes to understanding Ghosts and Monsters, the Gluttonous Ghost indeed has unique insights.”
Jiang Ce and Qin Shen Bo looked down in the direction he pointed, only to see that beneath the disk was another world. A strange corpse with a shackle around its neck was sitting cross-legged below. The shackle was very new, clearly just hung there by those two to control this Corpse King. Perhaps they happened to time it right and wanted to ambush them, so they temporarily left the Corpse King there.
Behind the Corpse King was a large excavated hole, with very fresh traces.
Xuan Qing looked at the large hole and judged: “If it was just that Heaven-Reaching Dharma Master alone, he probably wouldn’t need to dig such a big hole to come in. We’re lucky. He was probably serving as the role of protecting the Saint Disciple, running errands front and back, and dug this Tunnel for him, which conveniently lets us go straight out.”
Jiang Ce glanced at Xuan Qing, who couldn’t hide his fatigue, then looked down at the big hole, turned back to look at the four little defeated ones lying on the ground, then at Qin Shen Bo who could barely stand, nodded, and went for a second round:
“Good, then I’ll wait for you below.”
Xuan Qing failed to stop him in time and watched him leap down.
An unremarkable rural area.
The Old Farmer was sitting on a rocking chair, guarding the melon field under the moonlight.
He wore a bamboo hat and was drowsy.
A Young Man came running over anxiously.
“Master, Number Nine’s life lamp is out, and the Death Curse is also missing.”
The Old Farmer lifted the brim of his hat slightly, his eyes bleary with sleep, as if he hadn’t heard clearly: “Ah?”
“Bai Qing’s disciple is dead. He seems about to go mad.”
“Oh.” The Old Farmer lowered the brim again: “Tell him not to act rashly.”
Seeing the Old Farmer unmoved, the Young Man quieted down and sat on the ground.
“You don’t seem surprised at all?”
“Mm.” The Old Farmer mumbled vaguely, unclear if he was responding or falling asleep.
“Master, did you predict this long ago?”
The Old Farmer didn’t respond.
The Young Man secretly glanced at him and seemed to mutter to himself:
“You told Bai Qing not to act rashly, which means his disciple’s death is part of your Plan.
Every Saint Disciple was cultivated at great cost; they’re not chess pieces you can just discard casually. Since that’s the case, his death must have great value.
One Xiao Lin and one Gatekeeper Branch in Luocheng aren’t worth discarding a future Return to Origin Limitless and an existing Five Energies Returning to Origin.
But using them as discarded pieces doesn’t do anything to Cao Zheng, the only one who poses a threat to you. It’s truly puzzling.”
The Old Farmer’s fan smacked the Young Man’s shiny bald head, but he still said nothing.
The Young Man suddenly felt bored, stood up, patted the dust off his butt, and prepared to leave to convey the Old Farmer’s orders: “No wonder you told him not to act rashly first. You really are as biased as ever.”
The Old Farmer suddenly said: “I’ve never been biased toward him.”
The Young Man stopped but didn’t turn back.
“You were taught by me personally, but him, I couldn’t intervene and could only let him develop on his own. I originally wanted you to influence his growth, but unexpectedly, you were influenced by him instead. Otherwise, the situation wouldn’t be as urgent as it is now.”
“I think it’s fine, but now that you mention it, I kind of miss him a bit.”
“Mm, use fewer Saint Disciples for training in private.”
“They’re all just opportunists relying on ghosts for shortcuts. Grab a handful, and if they die, they die.”
“He wouldn’t do that.”
“That’s him, but if I don’t do it this way, I’ll never be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with him in the future, and that would be pointless.”
“Figure it out yourself. Resurgence is about to begin. Hurry and prepare. It won’t be as peaceful as now in the future. Whichever side produces the True God first will have the initiative.”
“Got it.”
Sleep!
