Exchanging Arts

Shani looked up at Si Ming, clicked his tongue, tossed the broom aside, and said, "Two years have passed, and you're still the same, as annoying as ever."

She was none other than Henzhen, the Divine General Li under the command of the Purple-Pupiled Spirit King, who, moved by the sacrifice of the virtuous monk Xilai, took refuge in the Glazed Temple.

Si Ming, "How did you end up here? Did someone make things difficult for you?"

Henzhen said irritably, "I've killed people from Glazed Temple, and Glazed Temple has killed my men. Although swords have no eyes on the battlefield, and no one can blame the other for life or death, a blood feud is still a blood feud. It's not something that can be easily let go. Rather than being unhappy with each other, it's better to just ignore each other. It's better for both of us."

Si Ming had already inquired with Fadeng. A year ago, several disciples wanted to avenge their fellow disciples. They plotted against Henzhen, poisoning him in a sneak attack. However, they were caught on the spot. Although Henzhen pleaded for them afterward, they were still expelled from the sect. To avoid the same thing happening again, Henzhen took the initiative to move into the Confession Hall and rarely went out.

From the perspective of those disciples, the bond between fellow disciples was even stronger than that between brothers. It was only natural for them to want to avenge their brothers. Whether others were willing to forgive them was their business, and it was also understandable that they were unwilling to let go of their hatred.

From Henzhen's perspective, it's impossible for her to give up resistance and submit to slaughter. If you want to kill me, I will kill you. If you lose, it's because you're not as good as me. No one can claim to be on the side of justice. But her identity is indeed sensitive.

From the perspective of Glazed Temple, accepting Henzhen was Xilai's last wish. Before his death, the virtuous monk Xilai showed great compassion and sacrificed his life to resolve the hatred between them. Although many people thought his actions were too naive, quite a few were moved by his behavior. Moreover, Xilai had done a great service to Glazed Temple, so everyone was willing to help him.

With the Purple-Pupiled Spirit King dead and the Monster Race army wiped out, most disciples were willing to accept the Henzhen, since everyone could accept the principle of fighting to the death on the battlefield without resentment. However, there were still some who wanted to eliminate the root of the problem. Although Buddhism was powerful, it could not dispel the hatred in everyone's hearts.

Henzhen is now considered a disciple of Glazed Temple. If the matter is handled impartially, it would all be the fault of the one who struck first. Fighting among fellow disciples is a serious crime. However, Henzhen is ultimately an outsider and not as close as their own disciples. Therefore, the abbots are in a difficult position. So when Henzhen requested to reside in the Confession Hall, they readily agreed.

Si Ming, "Blood feuds are irreconcilable, and it's indeed difficult to make someone give up so easily. But the war is over after all, so you just need to wait. Anyway, the Monster Race have long lifespans. Once this generation dies, the next generation will forget about it. After all, Glazed Temple is the winner."

The loser will try every means to seek justice, as the saying goes, "Even a feud from ten generations ago can be avenged." But the winner often shows a tolerant side, after all, having gained the advantage, they want to let bygones be bygones.

Henzhen snorted, "Is this what you call comforting me?"

"I've only offered a feasible solution; whether you choose to adopt it is up to you."

"... You didn't come to see me for something like this, did you?"

"Hey, we were colleagues, isn't it normal to care about old friends?"

"Shut up, you traitor!"

"Excuse me, I'm a police officer."

Chapter 586 Communication Method Formula

After exchanging pleasantries, Si Ming got down to business. "How much do you know about the Beast King Anye?"

Henzhen glanced at him and said, "After the Spirit King, is it the Beast King's turn? You really want to be the savior of Human Race?"

"It's a mix of public and private matters. If it were up to me, I'd wait until I'm strong enough to easily defeat them before making a move."

Henzhen scoffed, "While I disapprove of the Beast King's reckless behavior, I must admit his strength is comparable to the Spirit King. Your idea of completely defeating him is probably only a dream come true."

"It seems you really have been staying in the confessional all this time, oblivious to what's going on outside. Otherwise, you would have heard the news of my defeat of the Beast King Anye."

"Real?"

Henzhen couldn't hide his surprise. After all, in the Barbarian Continent, the concept that the King of Monsters was the strongest had long been deeply ingrained in people's minds. For hundreds of years, there hadn't been a single Human Race powerhouse who could fight the King of Monsters one-on-one. Even if they could win, it would be due to factors such as calculation, formations, and numbers.

"What's the point of lying about something that can be confirmed with a simple inquiry? It's like trying to embellish my own image without the corresponding ability; it only brings shame upon myself."

"Two years ago, although your strength was enough to compete for the title of the Human Race, you were still two levels below the Spirit King."

"You said it yourself, it was two years ago. The Human Race is recognized as the fastest-improving race in all the heavens and myriad realms. As the saying goes, 'A scholar should be looked at with new eyes after three days of separation.' It's been two years. If I haven't made any progress, wouldn't I be ridiculed?"

Henzhen was speechless at Si Ming's humble pretense. If it were a second or third-rate martial artist in the martial arts world, it would be normal for them to make rapid progress within two years. With a bit of luck and a series of fortuitous encounters, it wouldn't be impossible for them to leap to the level of Grandmaster. But for someone like Si Ming, it would undoubtedly be extremely difficult to take another step forward.

However, recalling our past interactions, this guy has always been unpredictable, so it's not surprising that he does some illogical things.

Henzhen stretched out her hand and said, "Want to lend a hand?"

Si Ming smiled and extended his hand. The moment they made contact, Power of Anomalies surged in, fast and fierce. Moreover, the force split into two paths: one path attacked the vital organs, and the other path acted on the body, seemingly forcibly pulling the person up and breaking their Foundation.

Clearly, Henzhen's strength has improved significantly compared to the past, though not as dramatically Si Ming's.

Faced with a double attack from within and without, Si Ming had the skills to deal with it, but he knew that this was not what the other party was testing. Superior skills were of little use to the Beast King Anye, because a strongman of this level could not be a novice in martial arts. Even if his skills were rough, he was enough to develop the ability to overcome all techniques with brute force and to achieve great skill without artifice. For them, skills were more about mastering their ultimate moves.

Si Ming's lower body suddenly sank, as if a thousand-pound weight was pressing down on him. With a shake of his shoulders, his Mercury Alloy Body displayed extraordinary elasticity, deflecting all the force applied to him. At the same time, he activated the No-Void Sound Barrier within his body, and the invisible fluctuations vibrated at high frequencies, dissolving the Power of Anomalies had seeped into his body layer by layer.

After defense comes counterattack. Si Ming's strongest weapon is undoubtedly eighteen times divine power, but the appearance of the Solar Prominence Eruption is too conspicuous and does not have the demeanor of a calm and collected master. So he did not use it. Instead, he mixed nine times divine power with the Evil-Slaying Sword Intent and unleashed a fierce burst.

An unprecedented sense of crisis descended, Henzhen's hair suddenly stood on end, sticking up like porcupine quills. Even though she knew Si Ming wouldn't kill her, she instinctively activated her full Cultivation Body, bent over, and planted her feet on the ground, using the move "Old Tree Roots" to release Otherworld Domain power that eroded the real world.

Unfortunately, all his methods were useless in the face of the vast divine power. The Otherworld Domain power Evil-Slaying Sword Qi, like ice and snow meeting boiling water. It was too late to distort the Principle of the real world. Henzhen felt that every muscle in his body was penetrated by the opponent's power and was no longer under his control. It was as if he was in the middle of a flood, and could only drift with the current, unable to resist.

Fortunately, Si Ming used a pushing force rather than a ramming force, so the blow didn't have much killing power; otherwise, it would have severely injured his body.

Just as Henzhen was about to crash into the wall of the confessional behind her, golden light suddenly Blink on her body, and Buddhist Power surged forth, condensing into a full moon, which was none other than the starting stance of the Blazing Glaze.

The Evil-Slaying Sword Intent is stronger when it encounters evil and weaker when it encounters righteousness. When it comes into contact with the authentic Buddhist School Law Power, its offensive power drops sharply and Henzhen loses its aggressive force. Henzhen guided the attack and with a flick of his sleeve, he redirected and deflected the force, expelling the Evil-Slaying Sword Qi from his body and shooting a large hole in a Bodhi tree in the courtyard.

Without the Sword Qi interfering, Henzhen was finally able to unleash her Otherworld Domain power, distorting the Principle of reality to deal with the divine power. However, before she could act, Si Ming stepped in and dispersed the force with a punch, because if this continued, the confessional hall behind them would be demolished.

Henzhen clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction and said, "So you've cultivated the Evil-Slaying Sword Art. No wonder you were able to defeat the Beast King Anye. The Evil-Slaying Sword Art's restraining effect is equivalent to a level higher, and your own strength is no weaker than the Beast King's, so defeating him is only to be expected."

"But killing him is difficult. This guy is a lone wolf, with no family, no friends, no ties, and he comes and goes freely, his whereabouts are unpredictable. It's hard to lure him into a trap, and with his cultivation level, ordinary traps are hard to hide from his six senses. Even if you manage to trick him into it temporarily, if he wants to escape, no one can stop him. Do you know what his weaknesses are?"

"I don't know. I'm not familiar with him. Rather, given his personality—he's capable of killing even his own blood relatives—it's impossible that he'd leave someone who knows his weaknesses alive. But I must warn you, this guy may seem like a brainless brute, acting absurdly, but he's actually cunning and treacherous, full of evil intentions. Don't be careless and try to outsmart him, only to be outsmarted yourself. That would be truly shameful."

"I'll remember that, I'll be careful," Si Ming changed the subject. "I didn't expect you to have also learned Buddhist School martial arts, and your skill level is quite good. It seems you've put in a lot of hard work these past two years."

Henzhen snorted, "Buddha said all beings are equal. I just want to verify whether they are lying."

"If Xilai knew of this, he would be very pleased."

Henzhen turned her head away and said, "Who cares what that monk thinks?"