Slaughtering the Ox

After Tuoba Li finished reciting that string of strange prayers.

A dense black mist soon burst from the bull-headed, human-bodied statue.

The vast, dense black mist began to shift, transforming within a few breaths into the phantom image of a demon with a hideous bull's head, scarlet eyes, and black armor covering its body.

The demon before him studied Lu Jun carefully.

Lu Jun also raised his head and met the demon's gaze with a calm expression.

"Venerable Lord, this is the disciple I found for you!" Tuoba Li fell to his knees, staring fervently at the enormous Ugly Ox Lord suspended in the void.

Ugly Ox Lord spoke: "Brimming with blood essence, True Qi surging like boiling water—you are indeed a fine sapling."

Ugly Ox Lord looked toward Lu Jun and spoke in a hoarse voice: "Human, state your name."

Lu Jun smiled faintly. "Lu Jun."

Ugly Ox Lord nodded, then continued: "As long as you acknowledge me as your lord, I can bestow upon you supreme divine abilities."

"And the price?" Lu Jun asked indifferently.

Ugly Ox Lord rumbled, "There is no price. You only need to offer me worship, and allow me to plant a strand of my will within your sea of consciousness."

Lu Jun raised an eyebrow. "Plant your will?"

Tuoba Li hurriedly explained, "Of course, it won't affect you in any way. At most, Venerable Lord will be able to inspect how sincere your faith is from time to time!"

Lu Jun sneered inwardly.

He really takes me for a fool.

Leaving his sea of consciousness open and allowing it to be planted with someone's will—wouldn't that make him meat on the chopping block?

Still, Lu Jun had no intention of refusing.

After all, the True Monarch True Spirit was guarding his sea of consciousness.

"Sure. It won't hurt to give it a try."

Lu Jun smiled as he spoke.

A flash of scarlet flickered through Ugly Ox Lord's eyes. He said, "Then open your spiritual sense and let me plant my will."

Lu Jun nodded, sat cross-legged where he was, and gently closed his eyes.

Ugly Ox Lord no longer hesitated. His entire body once again transformed into black mist, surging toward Lu Jun's sea of consciousness in one great rush.

"This boy's sea of consciousness is truly as vast as the sea!"

Ugly Ox Lord was astonished beyond measure as he gazed at the scene within Lu Jun's sea of consciousness.

Inside Lu Jun's sea of consciousness was a deep blue world with no visible borders, as though one were standing at the center of a vast ocean.

"Hi there."

Within the sea of consciousness, Lu Jun beamed brightly and waved at Ugly Ox Lord.

"?"

Ugly Ox Lord was puzzled.

He did not understand what Lu Jun meant by "Hi there."

He could not be bothered to dwell on it. In his deep, muffled voice, he said, "Then let us begin."

Lu Jun smiled. "No hurry."

Ugly Ox Lord frowned. "What else do you have to do?"

Lu Jun helplessly spread his hands.

"You want to plant your will in my sea of consciousness. Of course, I have no objection."

"But that one might have some opinions. You can ask for its opinion."

With that, Lu Jun raised his hand and lightly pointed behind Ugly Ox Lord.

"Hm?" Ugly Ox Lord turned around in surprise. But the instant he turned, his pupils suddenly shrank, and the surprise on his face was abruptly replaced by terror.

It was a nearly hundred-zhang-tall deity. A Three-Peak, Double-Edged Blade crown adorned its head; dark dragon-patterned silver armor covered its body; an immortal cloud robe draped over it; a jade belt wrapped around its waist; its wide sleeves were cinched at the waist; auspicious-cloud boots covered its feet; and it held a Three-Pointed, Double-Edged Blade in its hand. Clouds veiled its face, making its features impossible to discern.

Ugly Ox Lord muttered in utter disbelief, "A deity... a deity!"

The next second, the nearly hundred-zhang-tall deity moved. The Three-Pointed, Double-Edged Blade in its hand swung heavily down from the heavens.

What kind of power is this!

I can't block it!

This isn't the power of a Law Seeker, nor is it the power of a demon...

This is an existence transcending everything—the power belonging solely to a deity...

Ugly Ox Lord could not move or block it. The space around him seemed to have been locked in place as the blade crashed down, piercing straight through his body.

In an unknown, gloomy, and sinister karst cave.

Ugly Ox Lord's true body suddenly opened his eyes.

His eyes were clearly empty, yet bizarrely, reflected in his pupils was the phantom image of a gigantic silver Three-Pointed, Double-Edged Blade descending from the heavens.

"The Heavenly Court hasn't been severed?"

"Deities haven't vanished?"

"Then everything we have done... could it all have been in vain?"

A trace of fear and confusion flashed through Ugly Ox Lord's eyes. Immediately afterward, the vitality throughout his body rapidly died out, and he turned to ashes within the karst cave.

Only a khaki-colored Demon Core remained, floating in the void. Suddenly, a crack split open in space, and the khaki-colored Demon Core was violently sucked inside.

[Slain demon—Ugly Ox Lord. Acquired its innate evolved divine ability—Thick Earth Resides]

[Thick Earth Resides: Control rock and earth, freely alter terrain. While standing on the ground, your True Qi and stamina will flow endlessly.]

[Demon Essence: 14000]

"It's dead just like that?"

Lu Jun froze for a moment, finding it somewhat unbelievable.

He had merely guessed that these demons could not plant their wills in his sea of consciousness.

He had not expected to kill one across space and time.

Suddenly, a spatial rift split open in the void of Lu Jun's sea of consciousness, and a khaki-colored bead flew toward him.

Lu Jun raised his hand and caught it, astonishment filling his expression.

"A Demon Core!"

He had heard Li Tuo mention this thing before. It only appeared after a Demon King perished, containing the essence of an entire lifetime of cultivation.

Lu Jun's heart trembled. A solemn look crossed his face as he bowed deeply toward the True Monarch True Spirit before him. Then he withdrew from his sea of consciousness.

At that moment, Tuoba Li felt as though he had somehow lost something.

Crack!

A crisp sound rang out.

Tuoba Li instinctively looked toward the ground, only to see the statue of Ugly Ox Lord placed there suddenly split apart.

"Why... why did Venerable Lord's statue crack?" Tuoba Li asked in confusion.

His confusion did not last long.

When he saw Lu Jun open his clear eyes, he hurriedly went over.

"You're awake... How did it go...?"

"Get on your knees!"

Before Tuoba Li could finish speaking, Lu Jun gave a soft shout, making his body tremble involuntarily.

"You... Why should I kneel to you...?"

Lu Jun rose to his feet and sneered. "Because I am Venerable Lord's Emissary!"

"How... how could this be...?" Tuoba Li was terrified, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"Do you need the Ox Lord to tell you personally?" Lu Jun barked harshly.

As he spoke, Lu Jun shaped an illusion based on the appearance of Ugly Ox Lord he had seen earlier and cast it toward Tuoba Li.

In an instant, in Tuoba Li's eyes, the hideous phantom of Ugly Ox Lord appeared behind Lu Jun, staring at him with scarlet eyes.

Terrified, Tuoba Li did not hesitate. He abruptly bowed and fell to his knees.

"Greetings... Venerable Lord!"

Tuoba Li was seething inwardly.

How could this be!

How could he become Venerable Lord's Emissary the moment he joined?

But now, the facts were laid bare before him, leaving him no choice but to believe them.

Lu Jun nodded in satisfaction and spoke softly.

"From now on, all of Venerable Lord's disciples will act according to Venerable Lord's will through me."