Monk's Robe, Daoist Skin, Deceiving Eyes and Ears

Chen Ming saw this and knew he had run into a tough opponent.

His hand seal shifted, and from within the Golden Light Divine Flame, several strands of Azure Wood Life and Death Gas emerged, forming sword shapes as they attacked.

"Oh? There's even a variation!"

The strange Daoist hadn't expected the change, allowing the Azure Wood Life and Death Gas to close in.

But the sandalwood fragrance radiating from his body blocked the Azure Wood Life and Death Gas once again.

"Scatter!"

Chen Ming shouted, and the Azure Wood Life and Death Gas suddenly dispersed, transforming into a thick, pitch-black Poisonous Smoke that obscured everything.

"Go!"

Following that, Chen Ming secretly Sacrificed the Blood Bead, guiding it by resonance to strike the strange Daoist.

A dull thud rang out as the Blood Bead hit the strange Daoist square on.

The Blood Bead instantly split apart, turning into a dense swarm of insects that gnawed at his body.

This flurry of moves was chaotic yet executed with lightning speed.

Situ Yuelan watched in astonishment, never expecting Chen Ming's methods to be so bizarre and versatile.

The black Poisonous Smoke contracted, and the Hundred Thousand Eight Thousand Insects re-coalesced into the Blood Bead, hovering above Chen Ming's head.

The strange Daoist was wrapped in a layer of Bright Yellow Radiance, suffering little damage, though he looked somewhat disheveled.

Chen Ming's face darkened. If this had been a Contemplation Realm cultivator, they would have been reduced to bones and ash under his barrage.

For the strange Daoist to still be alive was truly unbelievable.

Unless he had a protective Supreme Treasure on him, or his strength far exceeded the Contemplation Realm.

However, while Chen Ming was making his move, the two Attendants, Qing Ling and Hong Ling, had been clever enough to escape while the strange Daoist was off guard, and Chen Ming took them into his Grotto-Heaven Dojo.

Situ Yuelan also sensed something amiss. "There's something strange about him. Be careful, Fellow Daoist Xuan Mingzi. I think he's hiding his true strength!"

"Let me test him!"

With that, Situ Yuelan's aura surged, releasing the pressure of a Spirit Condensation Realm Cultivator. The Bronze Mirror in her hand condensed a beam of Profound Yin Cold Sky Light, held ready but not yet released.

From her feet, a layer of icy frost spread, freezing toward the Daoist.

Sensing Situ Yuelan's movements, the Daoist's body emitted a series of crackling sounds.

"It's you, Profound Yin Cold Maiden, Situ Yuelan. So you didn't die completely!"

"Your Profound Yin Cold Stone isn't complete yet, so don't try to bluff in front of me!"

At his words, Situ Yuelan's heart sank. She shouted, "Who exactly are you? How do you know me?"

Situ Yuelan searched her memory carefully, but she had no recollection of him at all.

"Hahaha, Benefactor, have you forgotten me so quickly?"

The strange Daoist reached up and grabbed at his own head, peeling off a layer of human skin to reveal his true appearance.

He wasn't a Daoist at all—he was a monk.

"Wearing that human skin was truly unbearable!"

"Even my Buddhist Supernatural Abilities had to be twisted into shape. No wonder you didn't recognize me!"

The monk pressed his palms together and spoke with a smile.

This monk had nothing to do with solemnity or dignity; instead, he seemed somewhat eerie, lacking the restraint typical of the Buddhist path.

"It's you, Blue Lotus Monk!"

Situ Yuelan recognized the monk's identity, and her expression grew serious.

The Blue Lotus Monk was a Spirit Condensation Realm Cultivator. He had disguised himself, suppressed his aura, and quietly come to the Vast Mountain Range—for what purpose, no one knew!

Moreover, the Buddhist cultivator who had previously fought to the death with Situ Yuelan belonged to the same sect as the Blue Lotus Monk.

"You dare come to the Vast Mountain Range? Could it be to avenge Old Monk Jieding?"

"You alone are no match for the three Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators of the Myriad Laws Sect. Besides, this is the Vast Mountain Range. If the Myriad Laws Sect's Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators discover you, your life is forfeit!" Situ Yuelan said.

The Blue Lotus Monk laughed freely. "Buddhism speaks of cause and effect. Senior Brother Jieding's fall was his own karma. What does that have to do with me? Why would I avenge him?"

"You took Senior Brother Jieding's treasure and want to refine it into a second Supernatural Ability for the Spirit Condensation Realm—that's your business, not mine!"

"My disguise was only to keep people from seeing me come to the Vast Mountain Range, not to hide from the Myriad Laws Sect."

The Blue Lotus Monk shed his disguise, no longer suppressing his cultivation or aura. Buddha Light radiated from his body, and the pressure of the Spirit Condensation Realm was fully revealed.

The frost that Situ Yuelan had spread shattered and dissipated in the Buddha Light.

"This young friend's methods are quite impressive. Those two demonic Attendants you refined from demons are exquisite!"

"How about letting them transfer to my side? I promise you won't come out at a loss!" The Blue Lotus Monk turned to Chen Ming and said.

Chen Ming secretly channeled his magical power to resist the Blue Lotus Monk's Buddha Light. The branch in his hand swayed gently, while the Blood Bead behind him floated unsteadily, within it manifesting the cycle of birth and death of the Hundred Thousand Eight Thousand Insects.

Bearing the pressure of the Spirit Condensation Realm with apparent ease, Chen Ming said, "Those two Attendants, though refined from demons by me, possess their own Spiritual Intelligence."

"Great Master is a Buddhist eminent person, surely you wouldn't force someone into a corner!"

The Blue Lotus Monk, however, differed from ordinary monks, and smiled: "You'd best think it through—follow him and you're of the demonic ilk; follow me, and you walk the proper righteous path!"

Chen Ming heard this, his face darkened, and he was greatly displeased.

But his strength was inferior at the moment, so he gritted his teeth and said coldly: "Demons have their own way too; I won't trouble the Great Master to worry!"

Situ Yuelan saw the situation was off and spoke up: "Blue Lotus Monk, do not be like this. The Vast Mountain Range is wide, and there is no enmity between us. You have your path, we cross our bridge—mutually unrelated, let us part here!"

Situ Yuelan recited an incantation, drew out the Profound Yin Cold Stone from beneath the ruins, and pulled Chen Ming to leave.

But three beams of bright light came rushing over, their auras also at the Spirit Condensation Realm.

If Situ Yuelan and Chen Ming fled at that moment, they would collide head-on with those three beams of light.

The two had no choice but to stop in place.

"The ones coming should be those three Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators of the Myriad Laws Sect!"

"I don't know what scheme this Blue Lotus Monk is playing." Situ Yuelan transmitted her voice to Chen Ming.

"Let's watch and see for now. If something's wrong, we'll flee then!"

Chen Ming silently recited a spell, secretly activating the Blood Bead, and his Divine Soul also prepared, ready at any moment to borrow the power of the Creation Lotus Platform and unleash a Secret Method to escape.

The three beams of light descended, manifesting into three female cultivators.

"So it is the three Immortals suppressing the Vast Mountain Range here; this humble monk pays his respects!" The Blue Lotus Monk saw the three female cultivators of the Myriad Laws Sect and straightened his expression.

The three female cultivators of the Myriad Laws Sect had very similar faces.

But one was dignified and steady, one was cold as autumn, and one had a livelier gaze.

The Myriad Laws Sect had always sent three Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators, leaving the Sea Domain to guard the Vast Mountain Range, rotating every three hundred years.

Back when the Myriad Laws Sect had not yet retreated into the Sea Domain, these three had once contended with the disciples of the Biyun Heavenly Palace and earned a fearsome reputation.

The Blue Lotus Monk was still in the Contemplation Realm back then, not yet having cultivated to the Spirit Condensation Realm, but he had heard of the deeds of these Three Sisters.

He had come to the Vast Mountain Range upon receiving news, but he did not know it would be these three guarding and suppressing the place.