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"Cheap tricks!" Tang Changsheng sneered. If he had the Golden Tiger Soul-Chasing Seal in hand, he would have blasted it without hesitation.
Instead, he drew his Ritual Sword. Freshly replenished Cinnabar made the Talismans on its blade glow a vivid red.
The sword quivered lightly in Tang Changsheng's hand, humming as it plunged straight into the gate...
In an instant, the countless faces on the gate contorted in pain and began to moan.
The men behind Tang Changsheng had never seen anything like it in their lives. They were so terrified they nearly wet their pants.
The agonized cries seemed almost tangible, burrowing through their skin and coursing through their veins until every inch of them felt unbearable.
Then Tang Changsheng's cool voice rang out again. "What are you standing there for? Keep chanting!"
"Yes!" At his command, everyone seemed to find their backbone and began chanting together.
As they chanted, the Primordial Yang Divine Lamp blazed brighter, shutting everything else out.
The entire gate melted away before their eyes... revealing the scene inside the main hall of Skanda Temple.
The head of the Skanda statue, more than three meters tall, had been severed. Blood covered it from top to bottom.
Before the incense altar sat Monk Haifeng, whom Tang Changsheng had met once before. His back was to the statue, and he faced the gate.
But the monk now looked as ghastly as a ghost, purple blood streaming from all seven of his orifices.
Above his head, Blood Essence had condensed into a red cloud that looked strikingly like a blood-colored lotus...
At the sight, Tang Changsheng's heart sank. This is bad.
What kind of sinister sorcery was the monk using to gather so much Blood Essence and Killing Intent...?