Shen Cheng'an was startled. "Senior Brother Kuai has died? How is that possible?"
Liao Ling did not believe it either. "That's right. The person the two of us encountered was without a doubt Senior Brother Kuai himself."
Shen Cheng'an said, "Senior Brother Kuai has far too many schemes and is ever vigilant against the outside world, always thinking someone is out to harm him. I'd say he most likely faked his death to get away."
Xu Chengtong, however, said, "This matter is not so simple. In Xu's view, one possibility is as the two of you say: he faked his death to escape, naturally with his own purpose behind it. The other is that the record was not wrong, and this man truly has already died."
Shen Cheng'an laughed. "Ha! If he truly died, then who was it that forced us into this?"
Yet as he spoke, he saw that Xu Chengtong, Daoist Wan Ming, and the others all wore grave expressions. They did not appear to be joking. His voice gradually lowered, and a chill rose up his back.
Xu Chengtong looked to Liao Ling. "Fellow Daoist Liao, you said Kuai Jing pasted many talismans upon those statues. Release them and let us have a look."
Liao Ling answered, "All right." Somewhat embarrassed, he added, "Could everyone please step back a little?"
The cultivators present looked at one another, then all retreated some distance.
Liao Ling surveyed the area and, seeing that the ground below was flat, took out a magical artifact resembling a small clay jar. He tipped it outward, and as a cloud of vapor drifted past, one statue after another appeared in the clearing.
The cultivators nodded unconsciously at the sight, and some even voiced their admiration.
Setting aside everything else, the craftsmanship alone was exquisite