Though he sat atop the coffin, looking quite imposing, only the Five Hearts Sect Master could feel every hair on his back standing on end.
This Stitched Monster was the work of his life, assembled from people in the sect who cultivated the Five Hearts Technique.
Every part retained the strength it had possessed before being combined.
After they fused together, it had already reached the peak of the Dao Repository Realm, with only half a foot left before stepping into the Three Treasures Realm.
Yet before Shen Bai, this monster had become so powerless.
"Who is this man?"
"How could Ascending Cloud County have someone like this? Isn't it a bit absurd for such a tiny county to produce an expert like him?"
The Five Hearts Sect Master rested a hand on the coffin's edge, curling his five fingers and gripping it tightly.
He gouged deep dents into the coffin.
Shen Bai had no idea what the two of them were thinking. At that moment, he was already immersed in battle.
"Good! This feels great! It's been so long since I've felt this good!"
Shen Bai could not help shouting aloud.
Ever since obtaining the Cheat System, nearly every enemy he had encountered had been unable to withstand even a single exchange with him.
Shen Bai knew he was cheating, so it was only natural that he was stronger, but he had begun to feel the loneliness of a master.
After so many battles, he had already come to understand the loneliness described in novels.
Now that a Stitched Monster had appeared, able to trade fists with him in this most primitive fashion, the wild desire in Shen Bai's heart kept soaring.
"Keep going!"
Buddhist light enveloped his hands.
Shen Bai thought this battle would become an evenly matched tug-of-war.
But the next scene disappointed him somewhat.
Protected by emerald-green light and backed by the terror of Buddhist light, the limbs on the Stitched Monster's body were being whittled away at a rate visible to the naked eye.
Its body, once as tall as the karst cave itself, kept shrinking rapidly.
Every punch Shen Bai threw tore away a spray of flesh and blood.
The stench of blood spread through the cave.
Ten meters, six meters... three meters!
Gradually, the Stitched Monster's body shrank at terrifying speed.
Before long, it was only two meters tall.
Only a few heads remained, its arms were utterly battered, and even its torso exuded a sense of decay.
Shen Bai threw another punch. Golden Buddhist light, carrying the intent of the Wrathful Vajra, completely blasted apart the body before him.
Countless wisps of smoke filled the cave.
As Shen Bai withdrew his fist, he sensed that half the qi within him had been consumed and shook his head.
"In the end, it was still lacking. I'd only just gotten into the groove, and you were already dead."
The words sounded especially abrupt within the silent cave.
Not far away, Cheng Shuang subconsciously wiped her forehead.
Cold sweat covered her fair brow, wetting her palm.
She suddenly felt that exchanging a jade pendant for Shen Bai's help had been a deal too good to be true.
In Maple Forest Province, if she sought the aid of an expert like this, a mere Bizarre Item would not even earn her a glance.
Yet Shen Bai had helped her.
"Perhaps this expert simply couldn't stand the Five Hearts Sect and merely acted when the opportunity arose."
Cheng Shuang could only attribute everything to that.
Shen Bai did not know what Cheng Shuang was thinking, because his gaze had already settled on the Five Hearts Sect Master.
Especially on the Ancient True Scripture in the Five Hearts Sect Master's left hand.
The gleam of excitement in Shen Bai's eyes grew scorching.
Pierced by Shen Bai's gaze, the Five Hearts Sect Master finally realized that his back was already soaked with sweat.
He hurriedly made a move, flipping into the coffin.
Fight?
He could not fight.
Fighting Shen Bai now was nothing more than a fool's dream.
Shen Bai had just dealt with the Stitched Monster, and his momentum was at its peak.
The Five Hearts Sect Master did not believe he was stronger than the Stitched Monster.
The instant he flipped into the coffin, the chains embedded in it snapped.
A violent gale rose within the cave.
Driven by the gale, the coffin shot toward a side passage.
They said a cunning rabbit had three burrows, and the Five Hearts Sect Master had his own route for escape.
It looked like a dead end, but it was all a false appearance.
As long as he broke through that stone wall, the coffin could carry him swiftly away from this dangerous place.
But in the next moment, the Five Hearts Sect Master realized something was wrong.
He felt that the coffin simply could not fly any farther, as if something had forcibly seized it.
Turning his head, he saw a sight that scared him out of his wits.
Shen Bai had grabbed one of the chains with one hand. Golden Buddhist light covered the chain, preventing the coffin from advancing another step.
The strength attribute carried by the Vajra Demon-Subduing Fist was brought to its fullest extent by Shen Bai at that moment.
"Trying to run? Did you ask me?"
Shen Bai braced his legs, slung the chain behind his back, and Buddhist light flickered across his arms.
Massive force traveled down the chain and spread onto the coffin.
Shen Bai forcibly threw the coffin over his shoulder.
Bang!
With a dull crash, the coffin slammed into the ground and shattered into pieces, becoming a floor full of wood chips.
Inside the coffin, the Five Hearts Sect Master was covered in wounds as he struggled to crawl to his feet.
Before he could react, he felt a chill at his neck.
Opening his eyes, he saw Shen Bai's longsword pressed against the center of his throat.
By his ear came a voice as eerie as a Bizarre Item's, enough to raise goosebumps all over his body.
"You stitched them together quite well. Tell me, if I cut off these parts again, can you still live?"
"I..."
Hearing those words, the Five Hearts Sect Master could not stop himself from trembling.
"Spare me, spare me! I was only confused for a moment. This wasn't something I wanted to do. I was merely a pawn they used!"
The Five Hearts Sect Master begged frantically for mercy.
The more overbearing he had been just now, the more terrified he was at this moment.
Shen Bai smiled. "I still prefer your unruly and defiant look. You can go back to that."
"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare."
The Five Hearts Sect Master kowtowed again. "Sir, spare me. The Upper Evil Gate did all of this. They ordered me to spread the Five Hearts Sect's cultivation technique here. It was all their instruction."
The Upper Evil Gate?
Shen Bai rubbed his chin. "What kind of force is that?"
Beside him, Cheng Shuang's expression had already changed.
After hearing Shen Bai's question, her face turned utterly pale.
"It is a thoroughly disgusting force, like rats crossing the street. They are based in Maple Forest Province, and they preach indulging one's nature and committing every evil imaginable."
"Everyone in that force is a villain. Maple Forest Province has already designated them as people who must be eradicated."
"But they hide themselves extremely well and are very difficult to uncover. This time, we are in serious trouble."
Shen Bai frowned. "How serious?"
Cheng Shuang slowly said, "The Upper Evil Gate believes in repaying every slight with an eye for an eye. If they learn that the Five Hearts Sect Master died by our hands, I'm afraid..."
She did not finish, because Shen Bai's longsword had already moved.
The Five Hearts Sect Master's head was pierced by the sword and nailed to the ground.
"This way, no one will find out."
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