Mud Sect

The sound of chanting sutras rapidly spread through the deep mountain forest paths. Gradually, after a rustling movement echoed through the woods, the path leading up the mountain was lined with eerie green eyes, staring at the man with malicious intent.

These were the beasts that inhabited this great mountain; at the same time, their glowing green eyes served like beacons, marking the route into the mountains.

The man, dressed like a woodcutter, treated this bizarre scene as if it were nothing. He climbed the increasingly steep mountain path until he finally arrived before a long-abandoned temple deep in the mountains.

The courtyard walls outside the Buddhist temple had mostly collapsed, and ghostly blue flames drifted among the ruined walls and broken pillars, resembling a mass grave—in truth, this place was no different from one.

On the bluestone tiles before the ancient temple gate, scattered limbs and severed arms exuded the scent of blood. Everywhere lay human bones that had been crunched to pieces, and the murky blood pooling on the ground seemed to prove that a slaughter involving splashing blood and flying limbs had occurred here not long ago.

Crunch, crunch...

The sound of raw flesh and bone being chewed came from the Great Hero Hall of the temple. A massive black shadow was coiled within the ancient temple's main hall.

In the darkness, a pair of eyes suddenly snapped open, revealing yellow slit pupils. A terrifying, evil aura clawed and snarled like a wicked beast, sweeping outward like a whirlwind.

As it turned out, what lay coiled there was a giant tiger. The tiger's entire body was covered in long, thick fur that resembled a coir raincoat; this fur was tough and long, as if it were wearing a layer of heavy armor.

Elderly hunters would call this type of tiger a "Coir Tiger," meaning its long, coat-like fur was so thick that blades and arrows could barely penetrate it, making it extremely difficult to deal with.

Inside the Great Hero Hall, the giant tiger's claws were pinning down a mutilated female corpse. It was missing arms and legs, a large chunk of its stomach had been bitten away, and bloody intestines dragged across the brick floor.

At this moment, the giant tiger turned its head, its tiger eyes gleaming with a ghostly light as it looked at the woodcutter outside the door.

"So it is you, Monk Sanhu. You are not in your Chitu Forest practicing Zen and self-cultivation—when did you find the time to visit my Mountain King Temple?"

The man dressed as a woodcutter did not answer, simply setting down the Buddhist shrine cabinet he carried on his back.

At this moment, the white skeleton hidden within the shrine cabinet also ceased its chanting.

The man dressed as a woodcutter stood expressionless, reached out his hands, and forcefully thrust his fingertips into his eye sockets. Suddenly, he let out a shrill, miserable scream as he gouged out two bloody eyeballs.

"Bring them here."

The skeleton's tongue writhed as it spoke in a low voice.

The woodcutter respectfully handed over the pair of eyeballs, a trail of bloody tears still dripping from his empty, hollow sockets.

The skeleton extended a bony hand and stuffed the two eyeballs into its own sockets. Then, the eyes rotated in a bizarre fashion, and the blood-red pupils fixed their gaze upon the Coir Tiger inside the Great Hero Hall.

"Fire Buddha, cultivate one; Heart-Sattva, hum-om!"

The white skeleton formed a seal with its hands, its bright red tongue trembling like a snake's.

"Slaughter Spirit Envoy, it has been ten years since we parted at the Red Plum Palace. This old monk has been remiss in his greetings..."

"Hehehe."

A hoarse laugh issued from the giant Coir Tiger's mouth. If one looked closely, they would see a mass of writhing black mud hidden within that blood-filled maw. The black mud formed a vague human face, its facial features and contours deeply etched.

"As the saying goes, one does not visit the Three Treasures Hall without a reason. Monk Sanhu, you surely didn't come here just to rekindle our friendship, did you?"

The voice speaking came from this very human face.

"Naturally not. This old monk comes out of necessity regarding the sect's affairs, and I must trouble the Slaughter Spirit Envoy."

Although the skeleton known as "Monk Sanhu" had no expression, the blood-red pupils in its hollow sockets rolled a few times.

"This matter was ordered by the Lotus Seat Master. This old monk is merely delivering a message. Primarily, there has been an issue with our arrangements in North Prefecture. The Master sensed it and hopes the Slaughter Spirit Envoy will go and investigate."

"That is rare indeed. North Prefecture rarely sees any trouble; to think it requires me to make a trip."

The giant Coir Tiger demon lay horizontally before the Great Hero Hall, its tail slapping the paved bricks with a thwack, thwack sound.

"It seems a formation we set up has gone awry. That is nothing, but the key is that a suppression object of our sect has been seized by outsiders. If this matter is exposed and draws the attention of the 'Ghost Bats' under the Great You Imperial Clan, it would be most unfortunate."

The skeleton monk spoke calmly.

"Sanhu, are you joking?"

The tiger demon let out a heavy, cold snort, the sound like iron grinding against rust, echoing like a tiger's roar.

"Aside from the 'Bureau Chief' Situ Haoxing and his Nine Long Envoys, those ordinary 'Ghost Bats' are of no consequence. Since when has our Mud Sect feared these running dogs of the government?"

"The 'Ghost Bats' have keen eyes and ears after all. If trouble is stirred up, it will always lead to complications. Currently, the situation in the Southwest is the priority."

The white skeleton continued to slowly persuade the Coir Tiger demon.

"I know that because of the Red Plum Palace incident, you have been demoted here and harbor resentment, but this matter is also an opportunity. If handled well, it will be easier to answer to the Master."

"Heh."

The tiger demon merely sneered.

"Never mind that. What about you, Monk Sanhu? What is the meaning of this state you are in? I know you specialize in the 'Color-Empty Chapter' of our sect's Lotus Ascension Scroll, which originated from the Bone Zen contemplation of the Stone Zen Temple, but there was no need to discard your flesh and skin."

The skeleton seemed to curl its jaw, its bright red tongue vibrating as it spoke.

"The Slaughter Spirit Envoy is unaware. Seven years after we parted at Red Plum Palace, I was in the Northwest region spreading the sect's teachings when I unexpectedly encountered Chixinzi of the Immortal Puppet Sect. Our sect and the Immortal Puppet Sect are both classified among the 'Nine Evils of Longevity' by the Innate Dao Sect, and both possess orthodox inheritances. To prove the truth of my path, I took the initiative to invite that Chixinzi to verify our Daoist cultivation..."

At this point, Monk Sanhu seemed to sigh.

"It is a pity that during the debate, I revealed a flaw. Chixinzi caught sight of it and used a Heart-Piercing Lock to rip the heart from my chest... Afterward, there was no other way; this old monk had no choice but to abandon this foul skin to escape with my life."

"Chixinzi, Immortal Puppet Sect..."

The human face in the tiger demon's throat grew stern.

Both he and Monk Sanhu belonged to a sect called the "Mud Sect." The Mud Sect was immensely powerful with many experts, and in particular, it held one of the inheritances of the Heavenly Orthodox Path, with Dao-entering experts guarding the sect.

Across the world, there were few factions that could catch the Mud Sect's eye, but the Immortal Puppet Sect was one of them.

"The people of the Immortal Puppet Sect have finally appeared. It is rumored that the Immortal Puppet Sect's orthodox inheritance, the Formless Secret Treasury, requires the selection of five disciples every time it is passed down. Its techniques are divided into five parts, and only by gathering all five volumes and merging them into one do the disciples have a chance to break through into the Dao, or even reach realms beyond."

"Do not worry, Chixinzi did not obtain the other parts of the Formless Secret Treasury back then; otherwise, this old monk would not have even had the chance to shed my flesh and escape. As for whether that wretch has obtained the other inheritances in these seven years, that remains unknown."

The skeleton let out a strange, rattling laugh.

"Furthermore, this old monk has turned misfortune into a blessing. Thanks to the Bodhisattva's grace, I was bestowed a portion of a 'Great Medicine' of the ninth grade, allowing me to shift my cultivation from the Color-Empty Grade to the 'Sibi Art,' causing my cultivation to advance rather than regress."

"So that is how it is."

A sharp glint erupted from the tiger demon's beastly eyes as he fixed a steady gaze upon Monk Sanhu.

"I am aware of this matter now. I shall make a trip to the North Prefecture myself; you may rest assured and return to report to your High Master."