Blood Robes

Upon exiting the Sutra Pagoda, Li Fan was surprised to find that the wicked monk Fading was still squatting at the entrance.

No one knows what kind of evil magic he used, but he actually dismantled the old monk's corpse on the spot, used his flesh and bones to cut open his own severed arm, and then strangely glued it back together, repairing it!

Li Fan didn't hold back and kicked him over again, sending him rolling a long way. "Didn't I tell you to gather everyone here and pay your respects to your senior brother? What are you still dawdling about?"

Fa Ling looked up and saw Li Fan, a look of confusion on his face. "Huh? Senior Brother? How come you're out so quickly? Oh! Look at my memory, the entrance is in the Sixteenth Tower..."

Li Fan sneered, showing off the jade slip containing the <Tai Xuan Scripture>. "No need for your concern. I've already retrieved the scripture and come out. Didn't you say that Nine Yin Mountain had many unique skills? It's just a piece of cloth! Are you trying to play me?"

"What! This! So fast!!" Upon seeing this, Fa Dong's face turned pale with shock, and he immediately scrambled forward, offering a blood-stained garment from his bosom with obsequious fawning. "Senior Brother, please forgive me! I was in so much pain just now that I forgot many things! This <Traceless Sword Qi> is indeed still on my body, so I'm giving it to you!"

Last time I went there, I saw quite a few left. I wonder which senior brother took them. I just asked, and Dao Ci Zuozhu is currently giving a sermon to outsiders at the temple, so it's inconvenient to disturb him. I didn't expect you to be back so soon. How about I take you to see some of your fellow disciples first, and we can also get the sword scriptures back while we're at it?"

Li Fan coldly accepted the blood-stained clothing fragment, glanced at it, and confirmed that it was indeed the cultivation method of <Shadowless, Formless, Traceless, and Shapeless Sword Qi>. "Not wanting to disturb you? I think you're still itching for a beating and need to loosen up your muscles a bit more."

I've come all this way, and it's impolite of Dao Ci Zuozhu to avoid seeing me, isn't it? I bet you're the one stirring up trouble!

Fa Dong shuddered, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He forced a smile and said, "Misunderstanding, Senior Brother! How could I dare to talk nonsense! It's really inconvenient... Why, why resort to violence! Just give the word if you want something! Junior Brother will definitely find a way to get it for you! Why resort to violence! Junior Brother guesses that the Sect Master is burdened with the heavy responsibility of protecting the sect, and there are some karmic entanglements he truly cannot get involved in? There's no need to get angry! Really, there's no need to get angry! We, as fellow disciples, can settle these small matters just the same!"

Li Fan patted Fazhi on the shoulder, making the round-headed monk stumble. "Alright, alright, I know what you're thinking. If the Divine Lord won't intervene, we brothers will handle it, right? Okay! No problem!"

Li Fan has seen his fair share of demons since he transmigrated, but this is truly the first time he's encountered someone like this.

You could say he's brave, but he got beaten so badly he was trembling and didn't dare fight back; his fear didn't seem faked. You could say he's cowardly, but he repeatedly feigned compliance while secretly acting against Li Fan, constantly trying to provoke him.

However, this guy's aptitude is quite good, not just good, it's really good, even better than Li Wugou's. Although there are Heavenly Treasure like Immortal Spirit Jade Marrow in this world that can improve aptitude, and cultivators will undergo a complete transformation when they break through to the True Person Realm, there are still limits to the improvement. If Li Fan is not mistaken, this evil monk is at least Dao Seed of the Upper Three Ranks.

Just like a tiger that, after a satisfying meal, might want to play with its prey, Li Fan isn't planning on eating this guy easily for now. He wants to see what tricks this guy can pull before it dies.

The fact that the legal code had the opportunity to seize the moment and repeatedly chased after the tiger's whiskers suggests that it also harbored the intention of having a contest. Perhaps this is the special friendship between the Dao Seed?

Since he wanted to play, Li Fan gave him the chance.

So the two flew together to a nunnery in a peach blossom forest outside the mountains and landed there.

"Tanchan Temple... What, is this a fellow disciple?" Li Fan frowned as he looked into the nunnery. The nun, with her hair still intact and a face like a peach blossom, was practicing Buddhism.

The official explanation was, "No, the Tantric lineage of this Tan Chan Monastery practices Joyful Meditation."

Our lineage does not accept female disciples. Currently, there are six of us brothers. Fa Yin, Fayan, and I have been tasked with guarding the Gate of Life and Death. Faqiao, Fa Deng, Fazhi are still lacking in cultivation and practice, so we reside here and offer our bodies to you fellow disciples for dual cultivation."

Li Fan remained silent as he looked at the legal document.

"What, Senior Brother Fak, do you also want to make some offerings? Although I've never seen a witch like that, I can probably find one if I look around."

"Damn it!" Li Fan pretended to punch him, and Fa Bing quickly covered his head and squatted down.

They're either seeking enlightenment in the Corpse Forest or practicing Zen in the Peach Blossom Forest. It's just that with these Tantric practitioners cooperating at Tianlong Mountain, the two training grounds can be kept separate without anyone suspecting anything. Think of the scene at Tiantai Mountain back then—the living and the dead were mixed together directly. Heh, they really are demonic cultivators...

Before Li Fan could ask a question, a nun in purple robes came out of the Tan Chan Temple, smiling and bowing, "Brother Fading, what an honor it is to welcome you today! Perhaps you have also changed your mind and are planning to make some donations?"

Fak quickly stood up. "Shanhua Courtyard, this is Senior Brother Fak from the outer courtyard of my Tianzang Sect. He's here today to meet his fellow disciples."

This nun also possessed the Nascent Soul Realm, with a cultivation level similar to Jue Ming's. She was probably the abbess of the Tanchan Temple lineage. However, despite her nun's attire, her appearance was excessively alluring, and there were steaming bloodstains at the corners of her mouth, suggesting she had just eaten something. She certainly didn't seem like a good person.

Seeing the gruesome sight of Fa Dong's blood-covered face, she smiled without saying a word, and calmly exchanged greetings with Li Fan.

"Greetings, Brother Fak. I am the abbess of the Mountain Flower Temple and the Tianzuo Tan Chan Temple. Our lineage's cultivation methods are unusual and misunderstood by the world. It is thanks to your esteemed sect's abbot that we have a place to stay. If you wish to find someone to cultivate with, just come to our temple."

In this hellish place, Li Fan dared not try any tricks, so he naturally declined.

The official, growing impatient, said, "No need to greet Shanhuayuan. I know where they are; just go find them yourself."

"In that case, please do as you please. Just let me know if you need anything." With that, Shanhua led the two fair-skinned, bewitched young monks away.

Li Fan glanced at Fajing and said, "Oh, you don't practice the Joyful Zen?"

As Fak led the way, he said with a forced smile, "Senior Brother is teasing me again. Junior Brother still knows that using killing to overcome tribulations and comprehend the Dao through killing is the most superior cultivation method of our sect. To obtain the true teachings, entering the tribulation of killing is the fastest way. You've come to obtain the Sword Sect's inheritance, presumably with the same intention, right?"

"Although my cultivation is not up to par, if you, senior brother, intend to start a massacre, please don't forget to take me along and offer some assistance."

After hearing what he said, Li Fan finally understood what trick this guy was playing.

So it turns out he just wanted to team up for a dungeon run!

Li Fan stared at him for a moment, then said, "The old hag told me that you came up without asking any questions and immediately slashed her face with your sword..."

The official's face fell, and he was about to explain when Li Fan continued...

"... But at that time she was impersonating a cultivator from Kongsang Mountain. Although you didn't hold back against Guyeshan either, that was after you encountered me. Could it be that you wanted to use the Gate of Life and Death as a killing trap for cultivation? But you shouldn't have the courage to disobey your sect... Could it be that dealing with Kongsang Mountain was something you planned long ago?"

Fazhi nodded and said, "Nothing can escape your discerning eyes, Senior Brother. The Ten Absolutes Sect spoke eloquently, claiming they had everything under control, but this formation was only set up for a few days before you discovered it. I think this is bound to go wrong sooner or later. If we really wait for the experts from Wangwu and Emei to arrive, they'll be all one big family in the Xuanmen sect, and a few slaps in the wrist will make everything alright. In the end, won't the blame still fall on our Tianlong Mountain? Won't all our years of accumulation be wasted? It's better to strike first..."

Li Fan asked in surprise, "Does Tianlong Mountain really have the ability to flatten the two Xuanmen Mountains in one go?"

Fa Ding laughed, "Of course not yet, but since Senior Brother is asking, Junior Brother has nothing to hide. Actually, we've already reached an agreement with Guyeshan in private. If things get out of hand, we'll join forces to destroy Kongsang Mountain. The territory will go to them, and the wealth will be ours..."

Li Fan narrowed his eyes and sneered, "You're not afraid of the Ten Absolutes Sect anymore?"

Fazhi looked around and whispered, "This is the Ten Absolutes Sect Protector they brought up. He's hiding in the Guyeshan. He's already made arrangements for his escape route, afraid we might hesitate to participate."

Moreover, the power of Kongsang Mountain is now weak and its talents are dwindling, with only two Divine Lords and one artifact spirit barely holding on. Recently, Kongsang Yuanmu Laojun failed to break through and will not survive the next calamity. Yuan Ying Divine Lord is also fighting against the Ten Absolutes Sect in Kun Country. I suspect that Kongsang Mountain agreed to participate in this matter because Yuan Ying Divine Lord has fallen into the hands of the Ten Absolutes Sect.

In short, they know that our sect is far more useful than the mere Kongsang Mountain, so if things fail, Kongsang Mountain. However, we will still have to take on the task of annihilating their sect; Guyeshan will only assist from the shadows. In any case, whether this plan succeeds or not, our sect will ultimately bear the consequences, so they won't lose out no matter what. It's incredibly cunning!"

"... The strategist from the Divine Cult is truly amazing..." Li Fan understood upon hearing this and exclaimed sincerely. Sure enough, it was the Divine Cult pulling the strings behind the scenes again.

Fazhi nodded in agreement, "Indeed, alas, it's a pity that many of our sect's operational arrangements aren't ready yet. Actually, we're not really just Tianlong Mountain; the sect leader could have held on a little longer, or at worst, we could have just fled. I really don't understand why they agreed to take action at this time..."

For the sake of the Five Integrities, the divine lord who has the opportunity to comprehend the Dao truly cherishes resources...

Although it was by a twist of fate that Li Fan brought Wu Lian back to the Death Gate Dao, the Divine Sect had actually held Wu Lian Demon Lord's head in their hands long ago and had arranged everything from beginning to end, almost reviving and attaining enlightenment right under Penglai's nose!

If, as the Divine Cult has planned, a resurrected Wu Lian Dao Jun were to appear, then regardless of whether it be the Death Gate Dao or the Tai Xuan Dao, whatever their own schemes, plots, or schemes, they would all be dragged down by this great karmic cause and effect, completely binding this ancient demonic sect to the Divine Cult's war chariot, right?

By then, it won't just be one Tianlong Mountain anymore. This ancient power is deeply rooted, with countless Tianlong Mountain Tiantai Mountain hidden among the Twelve Countries. Not to mention how many old ghosts and demons are cultivating 'over there'. Won't they all be implicated, crawling out one by one to fight to the death for the Divine Sect's hegemony?

Between two evils, choose the lesser. Tai Xuan Dao has been hiding for many years; it seems these old demons haven't reached the point of emerging yet. We can put them aside for now and deal with the Divine Sect first! He went to Penglai and ruined a lot of things for the Divine Sect, but they haven't reacted yet and are still laying out the Gate of Life and Death according to plan. Maybe there's an opportunity! Yes! We must seize this time difference and information gap to deal with the Divine Sect!

Li Fan's eyes darted around, and he quickly settled on the policy of eating, sleeping, and fighting the Gods Sect. He smiled and said to Fa Ding, "Junior brother, don't worry. I'm an expert at passing through the Tribulation of Killing. We're all from the same sect, so we should definitely help each other!"

Oh? This is the room, right? Those three bald guys inside, are they? Good heavens, this is what you call a wine pool and meat forest! Wait a minute, I'm going to go and meet my junior brothers."

So Li Fan kicked open the door and rushed in. Amidst a chorus of screams, he chased everyone out, grabbed the three bald men who were having a party in the meditation room, dragged them off the bed, and gave them a brutal beating.

These three bald men weren't even wearing underwear, and they had no magical artifacts. They were engrossed in their cultivation, supplemented by medicinal wine, each one drinking yellow wine and taking Five-Stone Powder, completely lost in their own world, utterly high. Suddenly, they were dragged out and brutally beaten, utterly powerless to fight back. Li Fan instantly used his tendon-breaking and bone-severing techniques, breaking a total of fifteen limbs, leaving them unrecognizable, like stacked building blocks. But their foundations were quite deep; despite the beating, none of them died. It seems the Tai Xuan Dao Cultivation Method really has some merit, a profound skill that cultivates both body and spirit.

After the fight was over, Li Fan wiped the blood from his hands and came out, saying to the gloating Fa Jing outside, "Go in and try to persuade him."

"Hey! Leave it to me, Senior Brother!"

So Fazhi went in and restored the three fake monks to human form. After muttering for a while, four bald men, all with bruised and swollen faces, covered in blood and tears, came out together. They presented a pile of blood-stained clothes, bowing respectfully and saying, "Greetings, Senior Brother!"

Well, sometimes it's really easier to survive on the demonic path than on the righteous path. Don't like it? Just fight! Who has time to play dirty tricks and scheme against you behind your back!

Li Fan took the blood-stained clothes, estimated that it was about right, glanced at them, and said, "Young people, don't waste your precious time in places like this. Come on, your senior brother will take you to Kongsang Mountain undergo the tribulation."

Even his legally mandated fake smile froze on his face. "Ah... leave now? Isn't that too hasty... Shouldn't we prepare before facing this calamity? Besides, it's just the few of us... Oh, right! You haven't paid your respects to the master yet..."

Li Fan kicked out and broke Fa Zhi's nose, sending him flying out of the courtyard. "Junior brother, you actually made your senior brother repeat himself twice? You're being naughty."

Ignoring the blood gushing from his nostrils, Fa Jing scrambled to his feet, wailing, "Yes! It's my junior brother's fault! Let's go! Let's go to Kongsang Mountain! To overcome this calamity!"

Li Fan was satisfied and asked the others, "Do you have any objections?"

Faqiao, Fa Deng, Fazhi shook their heads three times in succession, almost dislocating their necks again.

"I wouldn't dare, I...!"

"Whatever Senior Brother says goes!"

Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!

Li Fan nodded with a smile, glanced at the monks and nuns watching in the distance with fear, then turned to the four of them and said, "Alright, don't say your senior brother is bullying you. I'll give you half a day to prepare. Gather outside the mountain before sunset. Anyone who doesn't come can go 'over there' to cultivate as soon as possible. Get lost!"

The four legally mandated individuals dared not utter a word and scattered in panic.

Li Fan waited in place for a while, while the nuns from 'Shanhuayuan' in the crowd dispersed their surroundings, walked to Li Fan's side, bowed, and said, "Brother Fake."

Li Fan glanced at the person beside him, 'Shanhuayuan'—no, it was Li Wugou wearing the 'Shanhuayuan' face mask—and said, "You're moving too fast. I just spoke to her..."

"What, Senior Brother, you also want to offer your body as alms! I rushed over as soon as I took the pill, I really ruined your plans!" Li Wugou glared at him, "But how come you can always see through my illusions and disguises at a glance?"

Li Fan looked at the blood-soaked ghost face before him and sighed, "I remember your Divine Sense. You suddenly appeared just now... was it Yellow Heaven Dao?"

Li Wugou nodded. "That's right. Yellow Heaven Dao led me all the way. They've been secretly in contact with Tianlong Mountain, doing smuggling. I originally planned to kill and set fires Fourth Department, waiting for an opportunity to support you, but I didn't expect you to take them all down by yourself. Let's go then. Senior Brother, you didn't really intend to take down Tianlong Mountain by yourself, did you?"

Li Fan shook his head and said, "Actually, Tianlong Mountain has already been mostly dealt with. I've taken care of the leverage they had against us, so naturally they won't be going all out to support the chaos at the Gate of Life and Death anymore. If given the chance, they'd be happy to help clean things up. Now I need to use their strength against them to deal with the other two."

Li Wugou was indeed clever. At first, she was surprised, but she quickly understood and felt relieved. "As expected, such things cannot be hidden from the eyes of the Xuanmen. Your presence here means that arrangements were made in advance! If there is anything that needs to be done, please tell me, Senior Brother!"

This isn't some arrangement or scheme by the Xuanmen (Daoist sects); it's purely the suppression of my unparalleled fortune...

Li Fan shook his head and handed the jade Buddha, Tiger Tally, and thunder seal to Li Wugou. "I'll lead men to Kongsang Mountain to start a massacre and attract the attention of the Divine Sect. You find some respectable monks to help suppress the fiendish corpses at the Gate of Life and Death and stabilize the situation..."

Li Fan thought for a moment, then handed the blood-stained robe to Li Wugou. "I estimate that the experts from Wangwu Mountain will show up sooner or later. Your Cultivation Method is unorthodox, so the Emei lineage is not very secure. If you are made to suffer, you can use this item to claim that you are a scattered descendant of the Beichen Sword Sect, who came to eliminate the demons upon hearing of this matter. I think they will believe you."

Li Wugou, his face solemn, accepted the blood-stained robe with both hands. "The successor of the Sword Sect..."

"Don't you yearn for the righteous path?" Li Fan gazed at the blood-red sunset on the horizon. "This is the righteous path."