Fishing

After collecting the dragon energy from the two dragons, Xu Qi'an's ability to sense dragon energy has greatly increased, allowing him to encompass more than a dozen streets of varying sizes in the surrounding area.

Now, he could clearly sense the presence of the dragon energy host, who was not far from the inn.

Holding a martial arts tournament was indeed a wise move. Taking advantage of the time difference before the Buddhist School monks arrived, they seized all the dragon energy that could be sensed in Yongzhou City.

Without further hesitation, he turned to Mu Nanzhi and the little white fox and said:

I'm going out for a bit, I'll be right back.

Holding the little white fox in her arms, Mu Nanzhi stood by the window looking at the scenery and hummed in agreement.

After hastily leaving the inn, relying on his sense of dragon energy, Xu Qi'an wandered through streets and alleys, finally spotting his target.

He was a middle-aged man dressed as a wandering swordsman, with a gentle and calm expression. He carried a weapon wrapped in cloth on his back and walked alone on the street.

The crowd was bustling, and there were many Jianghu people mixed in with the crowd.

"Pretend to be seeking revenge, approach the opponent, seize their dragon energy, and then leave immediately."

Xu Qi'an quickly closed the distance, keeping a low profile and refraining from using Shadow Leap.

When the two were less than three zhang apart, the gentle-looking middle-aged man suddenly turned around and stared intently at Xu Qi'an:

Why are you following me?

Spirit Refining Realm. Xu Qi'an didn't waste words with him. He took out a fragment of the Earth Book, faced the mirror at the person, and silently recited the Mnemonic.

If the distance is sufficient, the fragments of the Earth Book, combined with the Mnemonic, can forcibly draw out the dragon's energy.

This is his unique ability.

At that very moment, a "crack" sound came from the palm of the dragon energy host.

Um?

Amid Xu Qi'an's questioning voice, a Law Artifact in the hands of the dragon energy host, the middle-aged swordsman, shattered, transforming into pure light that coalesced into a gate of light between the two.

Within the portal of light, a figure appeared, barely visible. He was nine feet tall, with bulging muscles and what appeared to be a ring of fire behind his head.

Buddhist School fishing?!

Xu Qi'an was not flustered by the sudden change. After a brief moment of surprise, he immediately came to his senses, turned the mirror of the Earth Book fragment upside down, and tapped the back of the mirror.

A dark golden object fell from the Book of Earth—a pagoda!

Nowadays, the pagoda is his greatest reliance. Although its offensive effect is average, as a Bodhisattva's Law Treasure, it is sturdy enough and its defense is strong enough.

Once you enter the pagoda and ride it to escape, even a Vajra might not be able to catch you, and even if it did, it wouldn't be able to break in.

As the pagoda fell, Xu Qi'an reached out and caught it, simultaneously communicating with the pagoda's spirit through his thoughts.

But in the next moment, another large, fan-like hand also grasped the pagoda.

Xu Qi'an looked up and saw a giant standing in front of him, wearing a yellow and red robe, with thick Buddhist beads around his neck, his muscles bulging, and a ring of fire burning behind his head.

He had no hair, beard, or eyebrows; his entire head was bald, and his skin was dark gold, like a living bronze statue.

"Amitabha Buddha, this humble monk has come to guide Buddhist disciples into the Buddhist School."

Du Nan Jingang's gaze was extremely aggressive.

Bang!

Before Xu Qi'an could react, he was kicked in the abdomen. The terrifying force sent him flying backward uncontrollably, unable to hold onto the Floating Pagoda any longer.

He crashed into a shop on the street, smashing through the wall and breaking beams, causing pedestrians to scream and scatter in all directions.

"Buzz"

A sharp pain shot through his palm as he grasped the Vajra of Salvation, and the pagoda trembled, resisting his hold.

Even though they are both Buddhist School, the Floating Pagoda only recognizes its master and cannot be controlled by him. And no matter how well he prepares, he cannot produce a Law Artifact that can seal or suppress the Floating Pagoda.

This tower itself is already a top-tier magical Law Artifact.

Du Nan Jingang immediately made the most correct decision: he twisted his waist, swung his arms, and forcefully threw the pagoda into the distance.

The pagoda turned into a black shadow and disappeared into the horizon.

In the chaotic shop, Xu Qi'an looked around and saw the shop owner standing motionless behind the counter, as if he had been frightened into a daze; he saw the shop assistant lying on the ground with his head in his hands, his body crushed by the overturned cabinet, and he was injured.

Fortunately, no one was injured.

Is the Vajra of Difficulty using dragon energy to lure me? How did he know I was nearby? What was that portal of light just now? Isn't teleportation only for Warlock?

Various thoughts flashed through his mind, but he didn't hesitate. His body suddenly disappeared, and using the dark Gu technique, he leaped to the street corner twenty feet away.

His figure leaped out of the shadows, and as soon as he could see his surroundings, a powerful aura followed, and the nine-foot-tall Vajra figure solidified in front of him.

He clenched his fist and punched her too hard.

Xu Qi'an seemed to have anticipated this, tilting his head to dodge, his body enveloped in shadow, and he was about to merge into the shadow to escape.

Clang! Du Nan Jingang punched him in the chest, interrupting the shadow leap.

Xu Qi'an should have been sent flying by that punch, but just as his body rose into the air, he was slapped to the ground by Du Nan Jingang, followed by a barrage of punches.

Ta-da!

The dark golden fist pounded relentlessly, creating layers of shockwaves that made the street look like a storm.

Xu Qi'an tried his best to defend himself. He possessed the ability to neutralize internal energy and should not have been afraid of close combat. However, Du Nan Jingang also had the same ability, and the two were not on the same level in terms of strength.

Xu Qi'an inevitably fell into the predicament of being "one-hit kill," and could only wait to be killed by a combo.

Unlike other systems, his physique is also at the third rank, meaning that the Vajra of Difficulty cannot kill him in a short time.

"His physical body is very strong, even stronger than mine at my peak. He's a third-grade Vajra of Buddhist School, and his physique is a level above that of a third-grade martial artist, but he doesn't seem to have any 'intention'."

Xu Qi'an didn't just passively take the beating; he tried to fight back using the Seven Deadly Gu techniques.

After trying both love potions and poison potions, they found that neither worked.

His will was firm; he didn't fall hopelessly in love with me despite inhaling the scent of the love potion. The poison was useless; he showed no signs of poisoning. He had to get rid of him to escape, otherwise he would be defeated sooner or later. Xu Qi'an crossed his arms to block the opponent's punch, then endured the pain and suddenly let out a sharp shriek.

A moment later, the sounds of barking dogs and meowing cats came from the street. Large numbers of dogs appeared, along with packs of rats, and brown snakes crawled out of the cracks in the stones of every house.

He used the power of the Heart Gu to summon the nearby animals.

They pounced on him like madmen; the dog tried to tear at Du Nan Jingang, the cat jumped up and pounced on his face, blocking his view, and the snake and rat followed closely behind.

In addition, several horse-drawn carriages rushed from the street, their horses' eyes bloodshot, recklessly charging towards the Vajra of Du Nan.

Du Nan Jingang grabbed Xu Qi'an and slammed him to the ground. The street surface cracked instantly, and at the same time, the flames behind his head suddenly swelled.

A scorching stream of air swept across.

Bang bang bang!

Cats, dogs, rats, and snakes exploded, turning into pools of blood that stained the street.

Xu Qi'an finally managed to disrupt Du Nan Jingang's rhythm and gain a moment to catch his breath. He didn't use Shadow Leap, as it would have been interrupted.

He rolled on the spot, then leaped into the air, and at that moment, he had a knife in his hand.

Taiping Sword!

With a flick of the thumb, a clanging sound of the blade being drawn rang out, and a flash of dark golden light disappeared.

A blinding spark erupted from Du Nan Jingang's chest, and the immense force pushed him back a step.

Bloodstains were visible on Xu Qi'an's chest.

This strike failed to sever Du Nan's Vajra Body; instead, it shattered his own Vajra Divine Skill, which was on the verge of collapse.

But he achieved his goal.

The next moment, he vanished into the shadows.

"Snort!"

Du Nan Jingang snorted coldly and disappeared as well. The Primordial Spirit of a third-grade Jingang could cover an extremely wide distance, and Xu Qi'an's shadow could not escape his lock even after leaping once.

During the chase, the two gradually left the bustling city center, and the battlefield shifted towards the outskirts of the city.

Xu Qi'an's goal was clear: the direction in which the Floating Pagoda disappeared.

After chasing each other for nearly fifteen minutes, the two left Yongzhou City. There were few buildings outside the city, and the view was open. Xu Qi'an could only use the shadows of the trees to jump, which was not conducive to his escape.

In such a situation, the best way to deal with a pursuing enemy is not to travel in a straight line, but to use shadows to jump and constantly change direction, disrupting the enemy's pursuit rhythm and forcing them to keep turning as well.

This slows down the enemy.

But when facing a third-grade Vajra who has mastered neutralizing force, one can disregard inertia, slap the face of the principles of mechanics, and turn or walk in a straight line is no different.

As the Vajra of Salvation drew ever closer, Xu Qi'an finally saw the Floating Pagoda, which had returned to its original form, transforming into a massive tower that was deeply embedded in the ridge of the field.

Just then, a strong wind howled behind his head, and a violent energy pushed against his back, like the breath of a hungry wolf.

Without hesitation, Xu Qi'an activated the Qi within his Dantian, channeling the remaining 20-30% of the Qi that had passed through the Demon-Sealing Nail into the Taiping Blade.

Then, it suddenly swung backward!

The Taiping Blade emitted a shrill whistle as it pierced the enemy who was already two zhang away.

Bite!

The Taiping sword struck the chest of the Vajra of Difficulty, sending sparks flying.

At this moment, Xu Qi'an had already communicated with the tower spirit, and the Floating Pagoda rose up, with the door to the first floor slowly opening.

But at that moment, Xu Qi'an felt a sudden pain in his chest, revealing the tip of a Taiping sword.

With his Vajra Divine Skill broken, this peerless divine weapon, like a spear, pierced through his chest and pinned him to the ground.

At this moment, he was just one step away from success.

After Du Nan Jingang swung his Taiping Blade and saw that he had successfully blocked Xu Qi'an, he didn't waste any words and strode over, trying to capture the Buddhist disciple first.

"Turning back is the right path!"

Suddenly, a deep chanting sounded in my ears.

Hengyin, the abbot of Sanhua Temple, has arrived.

When Xu Qi'an was ambushed by Du Nan Jingang, he had already secretly used the Seven Absolute Gu to communicate with the puppet Heng Yin in the inn, who was originally left in the inn to act as a bodyguard for Mu Nanzhi.

After Du Nan Jingang threw out the Floating Pagoda, Xu Qi'an immediately made a decision and manipulated Heng Yin to rush over here.

At the most critical moment, this puppet became his lifeline.

Under the power of the precepts, the steps of the Vajra of Salvation faltered slightly, almost imperceptibly, but this could not change the outcome.

"No killing!"

"Stop violence!"

"."

One set of precepts after another was applied, layer upon layer, accumulating little by little until they became numerous.

Du Nan Jingang was furious. He clenched his fist, swung his arm, and punched Heng Yin to the side.

Bang!

Hengyin, several feet away, exploded into pieces; a fourth-rank Zen master vanished completely.

With a clang, the gate to the first level of the Floating Pagoda opened completely, and a pale golden light descended, enveloping Xu Qi'an and Taiping Dao, instantly sucking them into the pagoda.

Immediately afterwards, the gate closed, and the pagoda soared into the sky, about to transform into a stream of light and disappear.

"You want to leave!"

Du Nan Jingang lowered his knees, suddenly leaped up, and clung to the tower.

The pagoda carried him away, transforming into a stream of light.

The Vajra of Salvation clung tightly to the stupa, letting out a deep, low roar, its muscles bulging, and its dark golden skin glowing with brilliant light.

Ta-da!

Du Nan Jingang raised his fist and frantically pounded on the tower.

Xu Qi'an, carrying the Taiping Blade, walked through the violently trembling pagoda, passing through the first level and entering the second. There he saw Chai Xing'er, who looked haggard.

She was imprisoned between two Vajra sculptures, much like Nalan Tianlu was at that time.

The terrifying fluctuations in the air outside made this woman, who was only a fifth-rank official, tremble with fear.

Xu Qi'an glanced at her, then left on his own, climbing the steps to the third floor.

The old monk Taling sat cross-legged on the couch, his expression serene, unperturbed by the raging storm outside.

"Master."

Xu Qi'an sat cross-legged beside him, hands clasped together, and said devoutly, "I think I need to be saved."

Please save the children.

He was severely injured, brutally beaten by Du Nan like a hammer blow, followed by self-inflicted "jade shattering" (a violent act), and then pierced through the chest by a traitorous Taiping knife.

With its third-grade physique sealed by the Demon-Sealing Nails, its cellular activity is weak, and it will take a long time to repair itself.

The old monk Taling nodded. "The Pharmacist image can cure it."

Without him making any move, the slightly plump golden statue to the south, symbolizing the Pharmacist Buddha, held a jade bottle in its palm from which tiny green fragments of light floated, seemingly possessing sentience, and merged into Xu Qi'an's body.

After the green light entered the body, the burning wound became clear, and the flesh and blood quickly wriggled and healed, with a recovery speed that was no less than that of a third-grade immortal body.

This is unscientific! Is this one of the nine major forms of Buddhist School? No wonder it's a form that only a first-rank Bodhisattva can achieve. Xu Qi'an was so comfortable he almost groaned.

Ten seconds later, all injuries were healed.

Bang bang bang!

A tremendous roar came from outside, like two huge iron lumps colliding.

That's Vajra Bhairava beating the pagoda.

The inside of the pagoda trembled violently.

"Master, how do we get rid of this guy?"

Xu Qi'an hoped that the tower spirit would intervene and defeat Du Nan Jingang.

"I am already resisting him, benefactor, please be patient. Within an hour, I will be able to shake him off the tower," the tower spirit replied.

One hour.

"You are a Law Artifact of a first-rank Bodhisattva," Xu Qi'an emphasized.

"But he's not inside the tower either, and besides, I'm not an offensive magical Law Artifact. If he were inside, I could suppress him," the tower spirit said.

"Then let him in?" Xu Qi'an's eyes lit up.

"He can't get in." The tower spirit shook its head.

"Those of the fourth rank or above cannot enter this tower. To force one's way in, one must be a second-rank Arhat; the Vajra is not part of the Zen master system."

As the two spoke, the pagoda spirit trembled incessantly. The power of the Vajra of Salvation was terrifying, and the pagoda pounded with continuous sounds.

"What use are you to me?" Xu Qi'an frowned.

He got up and walked to the window. The sky was clear and blue, the earth was right beneath his feet, and the pagoda was flying through the air.

Despite his expressionless face, a strong sense of crisis welled up inside him.

"No, we don't know if Duqing Luohan and Dufan Jingang are in Yongzhou. If they are nearby, they may arrive at any moment."

"With one second-rank Arhat and two third-rank Vajras, even if I were to be accompanied by a pagoda, I would probably only be able to obediently be captured."

"If I really go to the Buddhist School and become a Buddhist disciple, what use will this iron rod be to me? Tsk, how can this Vajra of Salvation be so stubborn?"

Duang! Duang! Duang!

The Vajra of Salvation is still hammering at the stupa; if we try to get rid of him, the situation will become increasingly dangerous.

At this moment, Shen Shu's severed arm twitched, as if startled awake. It silently sensed for a moment, then chuckled strangely.

"Kid, you look like you're in trouble."

"So you've messed with King Kong, tsk tsk, interested in another deal?"

Xu Qi'an countered, "What kind of deal?"

"Unseal it, and I'll kill him for you. Vajra Qi and Blood are incredibly potent; it's a great tonic. I'm practically drooling over it." Shen Shu's tone was filled with covetousness.

"Coat it in egg wash and fry it, wouldn't you be drooling?" Xu Qi'an thought to himself, too lazy to pay him any attention.

Whether or not to release Shen Shu is not up to him, but to the tower spirit. Besides, this severed arm is extremely evil, and he will not consider releasing it until he has recovered his cultivation.

After frowning and pondering for a moment, he suddenly slapped his forehead. "That's it! Call Senior Brother Sun for help!"

Without hesitation, he immediately took out the conch shell and transmitted his voice:

"Senior Brother Sun, I'm near Yongzhou City, being entangled by the Vajra of Salvation. Please come quickly to save me. You don't need to reply, just come directly."

There was no response from the conch shell; as expected, there was no reply.

Xu Qi'an's face froze. Had he heard it or not?

In his anxiety, he suddenly sensed something, paused for a moment, then became overjoyed. He hurriedly knocked over the fragments of the book, and a triangular protective talisman fell to the ground.

Xu Qi'an reached out and caught the talisman, hearing Luo Yuheng's clear, cold voice come from inside. "I have arrived in Yongzhou."

PS: The first batch of physical books has been delivered to the alliance leaders. The second batch will be delivered after New Year's Day. The physical books will be delivered in batches. Alliance leaders who want physical books can contact the operations officer to join the WeChat group and then contact me. Thank you for your support.