Crimson Sun Body!

Guan Jing and Guan Yi took a quick step and hurried to Li Xian's side.

Guan Jing spoke rapidly. "Our junior uncle Yuan Jue is a Great Master of White Dragon Temple. He has cultivated Tiger Subduing Fist to the pinnacle, and he is also protected by the Buddhist Golden Bell Shield, making him impervious to blades and spears. Ordinary Martialists are no match for him."

Guan Yi added, "We examined the bodies of the Cao Gang Hall Masters who died earlier. Three of them were killed by Tiger Subduing Fist. It was junior uncle Yuan Jue's doing."

"Junior uncle Yuan Jue is a peak Mid-fourth Grade Martialist. He's incredibly powerful. You're no match for him!"

"Hall Master Li, you're still young, and you have great talent. You're the hope of the Cao Gang. You can't die here."

"Hall Master Li, you're no match for junior uncle Yuan Jue. We two brothers will hold him off. Get out of here!"

Li Xian looked at the anxious expressions on the two monks' faces, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

You two monks really were... far too kindhearted.

Yuan Jue laughed loudly. "Hahaha! My two good nephews, you're so naïve. With your third-rate skills, you think the two of you can stop this old monk?"

Guan Jing and Guan Yi were both tense, but neither argued back.

"Hall Master Li, don't just stand there! Hurry and go!"

"Trying to leave?"

Yuan Jue's kind, benevolent face turned fierce.

"Do you think you can get away?"

"Tiger Subduing!"

Yuan Jue roared. His fists took up a fighting stance, and with a stamp of his foot, he shot toward them like a cannonball.

As the fierce, overbearing force of his fists bore down on them, the hair on Guan Jing and Guan Yi's bodies stood on end. Their faces changed drastically, and they couldn't muster the slightest thought of resisting.

"Junior uncle Yuan Jue..."

"He's gotten even stronger!"

Their hearts sank. Why were they so easily overpowered? Could the Buddha Son really have been right?

Just then, a pair of warm, steady hands settled on their shoulders.

A gentle voice sounded beside their ears.

"It's all right. I'll handle this!"

The two monks froze.

Then a figure, scarlet from head to toe and wreathed in smoke, strode calmly between them.

It was Li Xian.

"Give me your life!"

Yuan Jue had already reached him and swung a fist at Li Xian.

A loud boom rang out.

Li Xian raised a hand and caught Yuan Jue's fist with casual ease.

"Uh..."

The sight left the three monks present dumbfounded.

"Hall Master Li, you..."

"How is that possible..."

"What kind of martial art is this?"

Li Xian's fiery-red face split into a grin. Through the swirling smoke, his smile looked ferocious.

"The highest level of Crimson Sun Nine Songs—the Crimson Sun Body!"

Yuan Jue exclaimed in shock, "Even Dong Xuesong couldn't cultivate Crimson Sun Nine Songs to the Crimson Sun Body. How can you?"

Dong Xuesong was the Cao Gang's previous Gang Leader, before the last one. He had retired to his hometown some time ago, just in time to avoid this struggle. He had managed to meet a decent end.

Li Xian smiled. "Cultivation depends a lot on talent."

Yuan Jue said scornfully, "When it comes to talent, no one in the world can surpass our Buddha Son!"

"Oh?"

Li Xian responded with interest.

They kept bringing up this Buddha Son, and it had made him curious about this person he'd never met.

"Looks like I'll have to find a chance to meet your White Dragon Temple's Buddha Son."

"Hahahaha..."

Yuan Jue laughed as though he'd just heard an outrageous joke.

"You think you're worthy?"

"Get past this old monk first!"

"Golden Bell Shield!"

"Tiger Subduing!"

Yuan Jue thought he had only been caught off guard in their first exchange, which was why he'd been put at a disadvantage.

This time, he would give it everything and take Li Xian down.

Li Xian held up three fingers and said with a smile, "I'll take your life in three moves!"

First move: the two collided fist against fist.

Yuan Jue's right hand exploded in an instant.

"Ah!"

Yuan Jue clutched his blood-soaked hand and screamed.

Second move: Li Xian pressed his advantage, darted in close in the blink of an eye, and punched Yuan Jue in the chest.

Yuan Jue sprayed a mouthful of blood into the air. A gaping hole caved into his chest.

He collapsed to the ground, his face ashen and his breathing faint. He didn't look long for this world.

"You... you were... hiding your strength so well!" Yuan Jue said shakily, clutching his chest.

Behind Li Xian, Guan Jing and Guan Yi stood with their mouths hanging open, stunned speechless.

They'd just said he wasn't a match for Yuan Jue, and now they'd been proven wrong.

Li Xian said, "When did I ever hide my strength? I never said I was weak."

"Heh... heh..."

Yuan Jue lay on the ground, coughing up blood as he laughed bitterly.

"I suppose this old monk was unlucky. Today, I've fallen at the hands of a brat like you."

"But when the Buddha Son returns, he'll avenge me. He'll wipe out every last one of you in the Cao Gang!"

Li Xian said, "You're a monk. You shouldn't go around talking about killing all the time. It's not a good look."

"Besides, your Buddha Son may not be a match for me."

"Heh... heh..."

"The Buddha Son has already mastered White Dragon Temple's greatest art—the Great Heavenly Dragon Prajna Heart Sutra. He's now an unrivaled Upper Three Ranks master. Tell me, who in all of Qingzhou can stand against the Buddha Son now? Can you?"

As Yuan Jue spoke, his face lit up with an unusual pride, as though he felt honored by association.

Li Xian narrowed his eyes. "Upper Three Ranks, huh."

That was a realm of the Martial Dao he had yet to enter. Even he, proud as he was, felt a trace of pressure.

"Hahaha..."

As though he'd sensed something, Yuan Jue used the last of his strength to laugh.

"Just you wait. The Buddha Son will be back soon. I'll be waiting for you in the underworld. Hahahaha..."

Then his head lolled to the side, and he died.

After telling his men to dispose of Yuan Jue's body, Li Xian turned to the two monks, Guan Jing and Guan Yi.

"Masters, do you have a copy of the Great Heavenly Dragon Prajna Heart Sutra? Could I borrow it for a look?"

The two monks shook their heads.

"The Great Heavenly Dragon Prajna Heart Sutra that junior uncle Yuan Jue mentioned isn't White Dragon Temple's greatest art."

"Then what is it?" Li Xian asked in confusion.

Guan Jing said, "It's a Heart Sutra from the Demonic Sect in the Western Regions. It's completely different from White Dragon Temple's martial arts, and it's extremely sinister."

"After the Buddha Son cultivated this Demonic Art, his temperament changed completely. He used to be gentle and kind to others. Now he has become bloodthirsty, and he declared that he'd establish a true earthly Buddhist kingdom in his own way!"

Oh, so he was an ambitious young man with ideals and principles.

Li Xian rubbed his chin, deep in thought.

But he still had to come up with a plan. Otherwise, he'd truly be sitting around waiting to die.

His opponent was an Upper Three Ranks Martialist, after all.

There was an insurmountable gulf between each major rank. Li Xian was only Mid-fourth Grade. Even if he used every trick at his disposal, he still wouldn't be a match for White Dragon Temple's Buddha Son.