Statue in the Ruins

Above the Third Watch River, the air suddenly twisted, as if it were being scorched by high temperatures.

The distorted air didn't last long, only about half an incense stick's time, before it slowly subsided.

However, the surrounding troops dispersed and did not approach the twisted area.

As Xu Bai watched this scene, he felt that something had appeared above the Third Watch River, but there was nothing there.

Those are Ruins, Ruins that have quietly descended, and only those in the trade can sense them.

There was no order of precedence; the three major forces each deployed their own troops.

No one knows how many people this Ruins could accommodate.

However, there is an extremely simple method: keep putting people in until no more can be put in.

To ensure fairness, the forces of the three major factions lined up in three rows and entered the Ruins simultaneously.

These people all progressed from weak to strong as they entered.

Xu Bai was at the very front of the line. As soon as he stepped into the void in front of him, he felt a change in his vision and then found himself in an unfamiliar environment.

The surroundings were not the dark or gloomy environment Xu Bai had imagined; instead, they were filled with soft light.

The warm sunlight shone down from the sky, dispelling the surrounding chill and making one feel warm and cozy.

Although the place was open and spacious, there was no sense of evil or strangeness. It was just like an ordinary deserted area. Xu Bai looked around and found that he had come to the front of a mountain. There was a tall mountain not far ahead.

Looking up from here, the mountain is majestic and towering, reaching into the clouds. Its lush forests and vibrant vegetation are all within sight.

The space behind them distorted, and soldiers who had entered were gradually appearing. They included not only those from the Great Chu Kingdom, but also those from the Great Yue Kingdom and the Barbarian Tribe.

After the three major forces arrived, they each set up their own boundaries and remained wary of each other.

After all, in a place like this, killings can happen at any time, so no one is without vigilance.

In other words, since everyone's strength is currently evenly matched, there will be no bloodshed for the time being, otherwise it would affect the opportunities to come; otherwise, a fight would have already broken out.

Xu Bai looked back and found that the soldiers of the Great Yue Kingdom and the Barbarian Tribe were also looking at him.

This group of hostile forces made no attempt to conceal the murderous intent in their eyes, as if they intended to kill Xu Bai right there and now.

Xu Bai touched his face and suddenly realized why this group of people were so murderous towards him.

He's currently disguised as Chu Yu, so these people in front of him probably have some other ideas.

Sure enough, just as he was thinking about these people from the Great Yue Kingdom, one of them stepped forward and drew his weapon.

"Gentlemen, let's join forces to wipe out the people of the Great Chu Kingdom and kill the princess of the Great Chu Kingdom. At that time, we will surely make Rising Dusk King heartbroken."

"Countless brothers have died at the hands of Rising Dusk King; the corpses and blood are piled up to overflow. Now is the perfect time to take revenge on him."

"Besides, let's eliminate them first, one less competitor, and then we can settle our own accounts, okay?"

The general who was speaking had a long sword at his waist and a jet-black spear on his back. Coupled with his gleaming armor, he gave off a chilling aura.

The ninth prince of the Great Yue Kingdom was previously tricked and killed by Chu Yu. Now he has finally seized the opportunity. Everyone here is in a similar situation, and he knows that Chu Yu is actually a tutor in Military Formation Method, not the main one.

Therefore, if the two forces unite, they can easily kill him here. At that time, Rising Dusk King will surely be heartbroken.

As for retaliation afterward, it has been said before that once you enter this place, life or death is irrelevant.

If this is used as an excuse for retaliation, the Great Yue Kingdom will not back down.

He had just explained the importance of the matter and its benefits, and he thought the Barbarian Tribe would agree.

As expected, after these words were spoken, the Barbarian Tribe generals exchanged glances, then drew their weapons and surrounded all the soldiers of the Great Chu Kingdom.

At that moment, the atmosphere became increasingly tense, and at the same time, the strength of their respective military formations was also vying for dominance.

Xu Bai was the only one who was confused. After touching his chin, he suddenly said something that stunned everyone present.

"What's happening here, no one outside can see, right?"

The Great Yue Kingdom and the Barbarian Tribe, who were preparing to launch an attack, were clearly stunned upon hearing this. Then, the general who had spoken first gave a reply, his tone full of sarcasm.

"Of course we can't see it. What? You want to find a way to survive but are afraid of losing face? Fine, take off your clothes and let us all have some fun with you. Maybe that will help you find a way to survive?"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers of the Great Yue Kingdom and the Barbarian Tribe all burst into laughter, while many others looked at Xu Bai with inexplicable fervor in their eyes.

They also knew the prevailing spirit of the Great Chu Kingdom: they would rather die fighting than be cowards. But now they held onto a sliver of hope that if the princess of the Great Chu Kingdom were to play with them, they would be in for an incredibly comfortable time.

"Oh." Xu Bai simply responded, then reached out and wiped his face, removing a piece of human skin mask and stuffing it into his pocket.

This thing will have to be returned eventually. Normally, given his personality, he would have just made it his own, but it depends on the person. The Thousand Faces Female Thief said that this is someone's most important heirloom, so it's better not to covet it.

The armor he wore was slightly loose; Xu Bai had chosen it to prepare for future changes, such as what was happening now.

As True Yuan Power flowed continuously within his body, Xu Bai's physique soon began to change, transforming into his own.

The body shape fit the armor perfectly, and underneath it was a Sun and Moon Daoist Robe, which was extremely comfortable to wear.

His face gradually changed, returning to its original appearance.

Everyone present gasped in shock and took a step back.

The first general to speak stammered, "You are not Chu Yu, you are Xu Bai, you are the Blood Slaughtering Saber Wielder!"

"Damn you!" Xu Bai cursed. "I was originally going to spare your lives, since you still had the right to be cannon fodder and bait here. But your provocations have made it pointless for you to live."

That was indeed what he was thinking. After all, the Ruins were full of unpredictable dangers, and leaving some people here could serve as cannon fodder or bait.

There's a saying that goes, "When you're being chased by a wild beast, what you need to do isn't to run faster than the beast, but to run faster than your companions. That way, you'll have a chance to survive."

But the things the other party said at the beginning made Xu Bai think that it would be better if these scumbags were dead.

"Form ranks! Form ranks! Fight him to the death!"

These were all seasoned veterans, and after a brief moment of stunned silence, they quickly reacted, assuming their military formations and preparing for a desperate fight.

They can't use more people here, but Military Formation Method are maintained by numbers, and that's enough for now.

Of course, this so-called "enough" was in their imagination. They believed that the two forces combined should be enough to fight Xu Bai, but they soon discovered that they were very wrong.

Normally, making a small mistake is no big deal, but here, making a mistake is tantamount to death.

Xu Bai slightly raised his right hand, extending his index and middle fingers. Behind him, gold and grayish-white slowly emerged, constantly intertwining.

An atmosphere of extreme chaos and terror was gradually spreading. In the blink of an eye, the surroundings were already filled with Xu Bai's terrifying chaos, and Xu Bai was at the center of this chaos.

When this chaos occurred, everyone present was affected, and Xu Bai's target was the Great Yue Kingdom and the Barbarian Tribe.

They were the most deeply affected by the chaos. Some of the weaker ones felt dizzy and even considered raising their weapons to kill their comrades.

"Army formation, rise!"

By now, Xu Bai had developed a terrifyingly intense killing intent, leaving no room for easing.

The general of the Great Yue Kingdom shouted, and the two armies suddenly appeared, sweeping towards Xu Bai with immense pressure.

He thought this move would at least put immense pressure on the opponent, but after Ke Ling inadvertently saw Xu Bai's eyes, he became completely numb.

What a look that was!

Calm yet brimming with murderous intent, as if those eyes held nothing but ants before their owner.

A deep sense of powerlessness welled up inside me, and when it was combined with the chaos around me, that sense of powerlessness gradually amplified.

But the general didn't seem to intend to sit idly by and wait for his death. He drew his spear from his back and was waiting for the best opportunity.

Upon seeing this, Xu Bai's lips curled up slightly. "So you're on high alert? What a pity, the gap in strength is something you can never bridge."

As he spoke, Xu Bai slowly lowered his raised hand.

Even though it only passed through the air, the next moment, everyone present felt a heavy killing intent that permeated the area, making it hard to breathe.

Xu Bai's voice, like an eerie whisper, echoed throughout the entire venue, "Perfect, I'll use you guys to test my new move."

The Blade Sword Three Absolutes – Slaying Man! This is the only move he can use among the Blade Sword Three Absolutes, so he'll use it to test its power.

Although it appeared to be just a flick of the finger, the next second, Xu Bai was enveloped in an extremely powerful Saber Intent.

The Saber Intent was merging with the Blade Sword Three Absolutes, and in an instant, countless sword beams emanated from his hand.

After spreading outwards, the blade's light suddenly burst forth, like stars in the sky that, after enduring the ravages of time, explode in mid-air.

The dazzling light was blinding, and a sharp pain was spreading through the bodies of the soldiers of the Great Yue Kingdom and the Barbarian Tribe.

This was excruciating pain throughout the entire body; every part of the body still exposed to the air had suffered the agony of Xu Bai's knife.

The light, comparable to the sun, was gradually fading. After the light had completely disappeared, the soldiers of the Great Chu Kingdom raised their heads and looked at Xu Bai's back with his hands behind his back.

Not far ahead, the people of the Great Yue Kingdom and the Barbarian Tribe also lowered their heads, looking at their own bodies.

The intense pain from before was still there, so intense that they couldn't even scream. After all, when a person is in extreme pain, a similar mechanism is activated, making it impossible for them to cry out.

A general from the Great Chu Kingdom drew his weapon, ready to charge into battle.

In his view, Xu Bai's strike seemed to have no effect, so they could not simply surrender.

But before he could rush forward, he saw Xu Bai raise his right hand and shake it gently, meaning that they didn't need to go on stage or even participate.

The general was puzzled, because the scene before him was too bizarre. The sun-like light that had just erupted had instilled fear in him.

But to everyone's surprise, when everything was over, the two opposing forces were still alive and well.

"Snap!" Xu Bai snapped his fingers.

As the snap of the fingers rang out, what happened next caused all the soldiers of the Great Chu Kingdom watching to silently take a step back, their eyes filled with obvious fear.

It turned to ash.

Whether it was the Great Yue Kingdom or the Barbarian Tribe, the soldiers and generals who entered the country began to turn to ashes after the snap of the fingers.

Their ashes filled the sky, drifting and scattering until they disappeared into the distance.

No one survived, not even a single horse; the destructive power of a single cut was terrifying.

"Gulp!"

One of the Great Chu Kingdom cavalrymen swallowed hard, clearly stunned. The sound of him swallowing was contagious, and one after another, they began to echo.

To the soldiers of the Great Chu Kingdom, Xu Bai's back looked exceptionally terrifying.

The chaotic mix of gold and gray, along with the group of people who had just turned to ashes, made them realize that the legends in the martial arts world were not unfounded; on the contrary, they had underestimated Xu Bai's strength.

Terrifying, utterly terrifying! The scene was completely silent until Xu Bai turned his gaze to them, at which point a leading general stepped forward.

"What's your name?" Xu Bai asked.

The general was taken aback, but still said his name: "I am Lou Ming, greetings to King Xu!"

Xu Bai nodded and said, "Do you want to come with me?"

He remembered that Rising Dusk King had said last night that these soldiers had their own opportunities to seek and might not necessarily be with him.

Lou Ming said, "We're going to look around elsewhere; we won't be with King Xu."

He only said this one sentence, and didn't say anything more. When Rising Dusk King found him that day, he had said one sentence to him.

"Xu Bai's fate is unique. His friends' fates can withstand it, but you may not. Being by his side is not a good thing."

As a member of the military, he didn't know what the mystery of fate was, but since the Prince had spoken, he naturally didn't dare to follow suit.

If he had any sense, and carefully considered Xu Bai's friends, he would have been able to clearly analyze that those people all had terrifying fates.

Yun Zihai was born prematurely, but he was exceptionally gifted and had extraordinary talent.

Liu Xu were able to remain unaffected by the Evil Book, and were even noticed by the dean's junior sister who created the Evil Book.

Wu Hua is now the hope of the entire Buddhists, capable of creating a new Dharma.

Ye Zi, a disciple of the Heavenly Sound Master, is also a person with extraordinary talent.

According to Rising Dusk King, only these people dared to stay by Xu Bai's side as friends with peace of mind; someone with a weaker fate would probably be dead long ago.

Therefore, they dared not follow, and preferred to seek opportunities on their own.

Xu Bai said, "Alright, since that's the case, I won't stop you. I'm going to go up this mountain and take a look."

He didn't need to care about the people in front of him, and he was happy to be carefree. The mountain in front of him was the first thing he had ever seen, so he became very interested in it.

"Then I will not disturb King Xu any longer!" Lou Ming said, bowing.

After obtaining Xu Bai's consent, he left with his men.

After the soldiers of the Great Chu Kingdom left, Xu Bai finally turned his gaze to the mountain in front of him.

The mountain peaks soar into the clouds, appearing ethereal and giving one a sense of lofty mountains and long rivers, full of spiritual charm.

Just by looking at it, it presents a dignified scene, and one would not feel that this Ruins is filled with mysterious and unpredictable Thought Gods.

"Thought Gods, secret manual, here I come!" Xu Bai rubbed his hands together, and with excitement, stepped onto the mountain path.

Walking along the mountain path, Xu Bai strolled slowly, taking in the surrounding scenery, appearing relaxed and carefree.

There was no rush at all; even the smallest details were examined carefully.

The purpose is to find the progress bar.

Unfortunately, no progress bar appeared along the way, and although the surrounding trees were dense, there were no traces of birds or beasts in the deep mountains shrouded in mist.

Fortunately, nothing unusual happened along the way. After walking for nearly half an hour, Xu Bai stopped, looked at the scenery ahead, and frowned slightly.

Not far ahead was an open space, but on that open space stood a small Daoist temple.

The Daoist temple looks quite old, but it hasn't fallen into disrepair; rather, it bears the marks of time.

The main gate of the Daoist temple was closed but not locked. Some of the paint on the two gates had peeled off, adding to its ancient feel.

Xu Bai did not rush forward, but instead used his divine soul. In the next moment, his divine soul covered the Daoist temple in front of him.

Through my spiritual senses, I perceived that inside the Daoist temple, there was an old Daoist priest, holding a whisk, sitting cross-legged on a futon, silently reading Daoist scriptures.

In front of the Daoist priest was a broken statue. Not far from the statue was a rectangular offering table with three sticks of incense and some fruits and other items on it.

The smoke from the incense swirled continuously, accompanied by the old Daoist priest's silent chanting, creating an exceptionally peaceful atmosphere that drew people in without them even realizing it.

Xu Bai withdrew his divine soul. Apart from that, he did not sense anything else unusual, but this was Ruins.

He guessed that the other party had not yet transformed into Thought Gods and was still maintaining various lifestyle habits from their previous life, so they were quietly reciting Daoist scriptures.

"Let's go take a look."

Having made up his mind, Xu Bai lifted his foot and walked towards the Daoist temple.

Upon arriving at the entrance of the Daoist temple, he gently knocked on the door. Before anyone could come to open it, the door was opened by the force of his knocking.

The Daoist temple is very small; you can see the whole thing at a glance. Behind the gate is a small courtyard, and at the end of the courtyard is the main hall.

The old Daoist priest was still sitting cross-legged on the futon, and his back view gave Xu Bai an unusually harmonious feeling.

Yellow incense, prayer mats, an old Daoist priest, Daoist scriptures, and the surrounding smoke made it seem like an ordinary Daoist temple.

Xu Bai stroked his chin, thought for a moment, and then walked over.

As Xu Bai approached, it seemed to disturb the old Daoist priest. The old priest stopped chanting, slowly stood up, and turned around.

With white hair and a youthful face, and a kind countenance, he exudes no fear despite his advanced age; instead, he possesses an ethereal and otherworldly air.

The old Daoist priest walked out step by step, and Xu Bai then noticed that the old Daoist priest seemed to be lame, walking with a limp.

The old Daoist priest walked for a while from the main hall to Xu Bai, panting heavily.

"This patron, are you here to offer incense?" The old Daoist priest performed a Daoist temple greeting.

"Blessed One" is the term used by Daoist temples to address ordinary worshippers. In this world, there are many different terms of address.

They are sometimes called "Shanfushou", sometimes "Shifang Shanxin", sometimes "Shanren", "Fuzhu", or "Xinren".

Pilgrims who are familiar with each other usually know each other's surnames and will add the surname when addressing each other. For example, if the pilgrim's surname is "Wang", he will be addressed as "Wang Shanren" or "Wang Xinren".

The "good people" and "believers" who donate money to Daoist temples are respectfully called "merit donors" by the Daoist priests. Believers who invite Daoist priests with outstanding merit and profound knowledge to perform rituals are called "officials of the vegetarian feast" by the Daoist priests.

But Blessed Lord is a title given to believers.

Xu Bai laughed and said, "I don't believe in people, I just happened to be passing by."

"Those who enter my Daoist temple are all believers," the old Daoist priest said. "Please follow me."

Xu Bai raised an eyebrow. "What is it? I just came to take a look."

The old Daoist priest smiled slightly, his ethereal demeanor inspiring a sense of approachability. "It's getting late, and this is a desolate mountain wilderness. Wild animals often pass through this mountain, and I'm worried that you might encounter danger. Why don't you rest here in the Daoist temple for the night?"

Every word he spoke carried a kind and benevolent tone, as if he genuinely wanted to protect Xu Bai from the harm of wild beasts.

After pondering for a moment, Xu Bai nodded and said, "In that case, thank you very much, Daoist Master."

He didn't explain why he had come; he only said that he had happened to be passing by and that the old Daoist priest had invited him, so he hadn't refused. He thought it would be a good opportunity to see what was so special about this Daoist temple.

"Please." The old Daoist priest raised his hand and led the way.

Xu Bai followed behind, glancing around every now and then.

To get from the front yard to the backyard, one had to pass through the main hall. As he passed the hall, he subconsciously glanced at the dilapidated statue, and then his eyes narrowed slightly.

It seemed to glance at me.

Xu Bai sensed that the statue seemed to have glanced at him, its eyes filled with a chilling light that made his hair stand on end. But upon closer inspection, the statue returned to normal, and everything before seemed like an illusion.

For an ordinary person, this might really seem like an illusion, since it's filled with smoke and it's normal to not be able to see clearly.

But Xu Bai was no ordinary person; he could see clearly and he could feel that he had indeed been stared at just now.

Moreover, the coldness and eeriness were completely different from the ethereal atmosphere here, creating a strong contrast and highlighting a chilling terror.

Xu Bai didn't point it out directly, but continued to follow.

The old Daoist priest walked with a limp and moved very slowly.

Xu Bai didn't urge him, and slowly followed behind.

After passing the front yard, you'll find the back yard, which contains several houses. The houses are still dilapidated, but because they are cleaned regularly, the back yard and the houses don't look dirty at all.

"This Daoist temple is quite large. The Abbot is here all by himself. Isn't there a Daoist priest to help him?" Xu Bai asked casually.

The old Daoist priest walking ahead turned around and said, "My temple is located deep in the mountains, and there are usually not many people there. So naturally, we don't earn much money, and we can't afford to feed a second person."

Xu Bai simply nodded and didn't say anything more.

Before long, the old Daoist priest led Xu Bai to one of the houses, gently pushed open the door.

Inside the door was a simple yet rustic room. The furniture was still worn out, but it had a simple and elegant charm that did not evoke any dislike.

"I won't disturb you any longer," the old Daoist said slowly. "I will come to call you at dinner time."

Xu Bai hummed in agreement.

He remembered what Rising Dusk King had said: before these people became Thought Gods, he should communicate with them as much as possible, so that he might be able to discover more treasures.

So far, Xu Bai has acted like a true passerby, playing the role perfectly.

The old Daoist priest left. Seeing that Xu Bai had no intention of speaking, he didn't linger and closed the door behind him as he left.

Xu Bai glanced at the clean and tidy chair, sat down, and took out the Deity Summoning Heart Sutra Rising Dusk King from his pocket, silently reading it.

Since nothing has even started yet, let's keep grinding the progress bar.

Time passed gradually, the sun set, and between day and night, the sky began to darken.

In the dim light, a series of footsteps suddenly sounded.

Xu Bai was working on a project when he heard footsteps. He put down his book, walked to the door, opened it a crack, and looked into the backyard.

As soon as the door was opened a crack, a gust of cold wind blew in, giving Xu Bai goosebumps.

Through the crack in the door, Xu Bai saw a beam of moonlight shining down into the courtyard, illuminating it in a pale white light.

Intermittent footsteps could be heard as the old Daoist priest, limping and carrying a large bag, slowly walked towards the backyard.

The bag was very large, and the old Daoist priest had difficulty walking, appearing to be struggling. In the corner of the courtyard, there was a frame with hooks made of wire on it.

The old Daoist priest opened his bag, took out strips of cured meat, and hung them on the wire.

The cured pork was long and strip-shaped, and had been smoked until it was pitch black.

The old Daoist priest had a limp, and it took him a lot of effort to hang up all the cured meat.

After doing all this, he leaned against the wall, panting heavily, and after a long while, he slapped his forehead.

"I'm getting old, I'm not as useful as I used to be, I almost forgot to invite the patron to dinner."

After saying that, the old Daoist priest turned around and walked towards Xu Bai's room. Before he turned around, Xu Bai had already quietly closed the door.

Sitting back down in the chair, Xu Bai pondered what had just happened.

To be honest, apart from the chilly wind that blew when the door was opened, there was nothing unusual. As for why there was meat in the Daoist temple, that's actually quite normal.

Daoist priests also eat meat.

There are many different schools of Daoism, and some even allow people to marry and have children, so this is not uncommon.

"But why do I always feel that this place is eerily gloomy, especially the statues in the main hall? They really did glance at me," Xu Bai thought.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door, and the old Daoist priest's voice came from outside.

"My lord, the meal is ready. Please come with me to eat something."

Upon hearing this, Xu Bai put the secret manual on the table into his robes, went to the door, opened it, and nodded.

"I just happened to be hungry."

The old Daoist priest didn't say much, turned around and led the way with a limp.

Xu Bai followed behind, and soon the old Daoist priest led him to another room.

After the old Daoist priest pushed open the door to the room, he lit the oil lamp and placed it on the table.

The dim oil lamp flickered continuously, bringing a sliver of light that bathed the dark room in a reddish glow.

But as the oil lamp continued to flicker, the shadows also shimmered, giving it a slightly eerie feel.

Several sets of bowls and chopsticks, as well as several plates, were placed on the table. In addition to some vegetarian dishes, there was also a meat dish on the plate.

"The Daoist temple is very small, and there are usually only a few people there, so the meals are quite simple. Please don't mind." The old Daoist priest turned his head and gave an apologetic smile.

At this moment, under the light of the oil lamp, the old Daoist priest's original air of otherworldly elegance vanished, replaced by a sinister aura.

Especially that smile, the interplay of light and shadow from the oil lamp on his face, a smile that sent chills down one's spine.

Xu Bai smiled back, "When you're traveling, it's best to keep things simple. It's nothing to worry about."

The old Daoist priest nodded repeatedly, limped to a seat, and then beckoned to Xu Bai: "Master, come and eat quickly, these dishes won't taste good if they get cold."

Xu Bai didn't say much. He sat down opposite the old Daoist priest, picked up the bowl and chopsticks on the table, and stirred the contents of the plate.

The vegetables were just ordinary vegetables, and they looked no different from anything else, but as Xu Bai stirred them, he found a strand of hair in one of the green vegetables.

Her hair was very long and jet black.

Finding a single hair while eating can really ruin your mood.

Xu Bai picked up a strand of hair and asked, "Why is there a hair in here?"

The old Daoist priest replied, "It's probably something I accidentally left behind while cooking. Please don't eat this dish."

Xu Bai said, "But his hair is as black as ink, while the Abbot's hair is like silver threads."

"There will always be one or two black hairs, it's not all white." The old Daoist's eyes became slightly stiff.

Xu Bai looked at the other person's white hair and then placed his chopsticks on another plate of food.

This was the only meat dish, made with smoked cured pork, but it had some bones with it, making it more like cured pork ribs.

Under the light of the oil lamp, Xu Bai stirred the contents with chopsticks until he quickly found a bone.

The bone was long, with joints still attached, and some bits of flesh on it.

Xu Bai picked up the bone, calmly staring at the old Daoist priest, and said, "Abbot, could you tell me whether this is a pig's tailbone or a human finger?"