parentshiftbook Chapter 388 Interrogation, Waiting for the Rabbit to Run into the Tree Stump
Chapter 388 Interrogation, Waiting for the Rabbit to Run into the Tree Stump
Chapter 388 Interrogation, Waiting for the Rabbit to Run into the Tree Stump
Li Xijun felt the surging power within his body, like a crystal-clear golden body, and a surge of heroic spirit welled up in his heart.
Upon reaching the third stage of the Vajra Realm, the physical body has undergone a fundamental transformation, and every gesture contains the immense power to shatter mountains and split the earth.
"The thunder here is both a calamity and an opportunity."
He gazed sharply at the still raging, pitch-black sea of lightning around him. "I can use this lightning's power to temper myself for a few more days, thoroughly solidifying this Vajra Third Transformation Realm."
He no longer summoned the most violent core black lightning, but instead deliberately walked into the area where the lightning was relatively dense, letting the smaller dark purple and jet-black electric snakes strike his body.
Now, these lightning bolts, which would have severely injured an ordinary Dharma Master, struck his newly formed golden body, but could only spew out countless tiny arcs of electricity, leaving faint white marks, which were then quickly restored by the boundless vitality.
He used this opportunity to carefully comprehend the true meaning of destruction and end contained within the thunder, while simultaneously circulating his cultivation technique, transforming every bit of thunderous power into a whetstone to sharpen his golden body, making the dark golden luster around him increasingly restrained, and his aura increasingly deep and profound.
Meanwhile, outside the entrance to the Thousand Island Lake Secret Realm.
Two powerful auras descended, namely the Grand Master of Vajra Temple, the Undying Venerable King, who had come from the west, and Master Pufa, the head of the Prajna Hall of Shaolin Temple, who had joined him.
They had only been there a short time when they happened to encounter Luo Qingyang, a true disciple of the Feathered Ascension Sect, who was about to leave the secret realm and return to his sect.
"Amitabha." Master Pufa chanted a Buddhist prayer, blocking Luo Qingyang's path. His tone was relatively calm. "Nephew Luo, please wait."
The Undying Venerable King stood to the side like a dark golden mountain, expressionless, with eyes as still as a deep well, yet exuding a suffocating sense of oppression.
Luo Qingyang's heart tightened, but he maintained his composure and cupped his hands, saying, "So it is Master Pufa. May I ask what brings you to stop this junior, Master?"
Master Pufa glanced at the Undying Venerable King beside him and said, "Nephew Luo, you've just come from this secret realm, so you must know something about it. Could you tell me if Star Lord Li Xijun is still inside, and what the situation is like there?"
Upon hearing this, Luo Qingyang frowned slightly.
Although his lifespan was shortened on this trip, Li Xijun had treated him well along the way, not only saving his life but also sharing spiritual medicines and treasures with him. How could he be a treacherous person who would betray his promise and leak information?
He took a deep breath and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Reporting to Master, this junior did indeed travel with His Highness the Star Lord for a period of time, but the secret realm is vast, and this junior does not know where His Highness is now. As for the details, please forgive this junior for not being able to disclose them."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over Master Pufa, and deliberately emphasized his tone, "Master, I am a true disciple of the Yuhua Sect, and you are a high-ranking monk of Shaolin. Our two sects are both leaders of the righteous path. I hope that you can distinguish right from wrong and not do anything coercive, so as not to damage our harmony. If our elders ask about it later, it will not look good for you."
These words, while seemingly gentle, were actually firm, revealing his identity and background while also hinting at pursuing the consequences.
After listening, Master Pufa indeed showed a look of hesitation on his face.
He wasn't inherently evil; he was just driven by greed and habitual thinking.
At this moment, Luo Qingyang's words reminded him of the group of protective old Taoists from the Feathered Gate. If they knew that he had forcibly questioned or even made things difficult for their precious true teachings, they might really storm Shaolin Temple to demand an explanation.
Although he held a high position within the Shaolin Temple, he was not without rivals eyeing his position, and he was unwilling to invite such trouble for no reason.
"This—" Master Pufa pondered for a moment, then sighed, seemingly intending to back down, "Since that's the case, Nephew Luo, you—"
However, before he could finish speaking, a sharp glint suddenly flashed in the eyes of the Undying King, who had been silent as a statue.
He didn't give Luo Qingyang a chance to react at all, and took advantage of the moment when Luo Qingyang's mind relaxed due to Master Pufa's attitude to make a sudden move!
"Om!"
A mantra containing supreme Buddhist power and spiritual awe resounded like thunder in Luo Qingyang's sea of consciousness.
At the same time, the Undying Venerable King flicked his finger, and a dark golden Buddhist light, refined to the extreme, instantly entered Luo Qingyang's body, completely sealing off his aura and even his ability to move.
Luo Qingyang felt a buzzing sound in his head, his vision went black, his consciousness became blurred, and his eyes lost focus, becoming empty and lifeless.
The powerful primordial spirit of the Undying Venerable King, a grandmaster-level being, had forcibly invaded his mind and temporarily controlled his consciousness with a secret Buddhist mantra.
"Speak! What did you experience in the secret realm? What is Li Xijun's strength now?" The voice of the Undying Venerable King carried an unquestionable majesty, directly interrogating Luo Qingyang's mind.
Under the influence of the Mind-Control Spell, the delirious Luo Qingyang, like a puppet on strings, intermittently recounted everything that had happened after entering the secret realm:
How did Li Xijun encounter the strange blood infant while exploring the medicine garden? How did Li Xijun unleash a powerful divine sense comparable to a grandmaster, evolving a Buddhist light barrier to seal the blood infant? What treasures did everyone obtain? And what were Li Xijun's plans to stay a few more days inside because of his body-refining matters?
After listening to Luo Qingyang's account, especially when he heard that Li Xijun was able to unleash a powerful divine sense capable of sealing that strange blood infant, the Undying Venerable King's bronze face furrowed slightly, and a trace of doubt flashed in his eyes.
"This child—he actually possesses such abilities? That strange blood infant sounds extraordinary; he was able to seal it with divine sense, so the power displayed by his soul is probably no weaker than that of a newly initiated Grandmaster." The Undying Venerable King pondered in his heart.
His purpose in coming here was clear: to nip Li Xijun in the bud before he could fully mature and eliminate any future trouble.
However, if the opponent truly possesses divine soul techniques comparable to a grandmaster, and also has the advantage of a secret realm map, if I rashly intrude, the opponent might use the terrain to their advantage or trigger the remaining restrictions of the secret realm to deal with me. In this unfamiliar environment, I might not be able to securely defeat them.
If things go wrong, it could alert the enemy and cause endless trouble.
After much deliberation, a fierce glint flashed in the eyes of the Undying King, and he made a decision.
Waiting for the rabbit!
They waited outside the entrance to the secret realm, and when Li Xijun came out, they annihilated him with overwhelming force in a place where there were no barriers.
This is the only foolproof plan!
Having made up his mind, the Undying Venerable King relaxed his control over Luo Qingyang's mind.
Luo Qingyang trembled, his eyes regained their clarity, but his face instantly turned deathly pale, and cold sweat poured down his forehead.
He immediately understood what had just happened; he had been subjected to soul-searching and interrogation without any power to resist.
His gaze toward the Undying King was filled with anger and fear, but even more so with a sense of powerlessness.
Facing someone ranked third on the Earthly Ranking, possessing unparalleled physique, and who had withstood attacks from a Dharma Body without dying, his meager cultivation was not even worthy of fighting to the death.
He gritted his teeth and refused to say another word, not even glancing at Master Pufa, burying the humiliation deep in his heart.
He rationally suppressed all his emotions, his figure transformed into a streak of azure light, and fled into the distance at top speed, wanting only to return to the sect as soon as possible and report the matter to his master.
Master Pufa watched Luo Qingyang's departing figure, opened his mouth, but in the end, it only turned into a helpless sigh.
He knew that although he hadn't directly intervened, he was still involved and would likely face trouble in the future.
If we're being rational, it would actually be a better choice to simply keep Luo Qingyang alive to silence him and then shift the blame to the Grandmaster of Vajra Temple beside him.
But weighing the pros and cons, he ultimately couldn't bring himself to do it, nor could he bear the consequences, and could only watch helplessly as the other person left.
This master only hoped that when the other party's teachers questioned him, he could shift all the blame onto Dao Buhuai Zunwang.
"Amitabha Buddha—I hope this matter won't cause too much trouble." He chanted the Buddha's name softly, but a shadow fell over his heart.
The Undying King, like an ancient rock, closed his eyes again, his aura completely concealed, blending into the surrounding environment, quietly guarding the gate of the secret realm, like the most patient hunter, waiting for his prey to walk into his trap.