Chapter 483: Black Heart
"Wrong, I clearly bowed your soul to death, how can you possibly still be alive?"
Wei Vu Thần looked at the sitting Tinh Khiên, suspiciously: "Could it be that you're not called Tinh Khiên? That's not right either, just now when I bowed, your soul clearly collapsed and shattered. A shattered and collapsed soul cannot possibly be alive! What method did you use to bring the scattered soul back together? You do have some divine abilities..."
He circled around Tinh Khiên, pondering: "Just now I felt your soul collapse, and then a strange soul drilled out from the box and returned to your corpse, bringing you back to life. However, I have a doubt — even if another soul returns to your body, you would no longer be you. How did you preserve your own consciousness?"
Tinh Khiên stood up, looking up at Wei Vu Thần's primordial spirit, a strange light in his eyes, and his steps were also moving.
Wei Vu Thần circled around him, and he also circled around Wei Vu Thần, the two circling in circles of different sizes, like two stars revolving around each other.
Hư Sinh Hoa looked at Tần Mục, recalling the scene when he was defeated by Tần Mục. At that time, Tần Mục had used his aura to pull him in, used his momentum to suppress him, and used the changes in his movements and stances to exhaust him.
That time, Hư Sinh Hoa lost miserably. Neither of them had thrown a single move, yet Hư Sinh Hoa spat blood and collapsed weakly. Later, it was Tần Mục who treated his injuries, making Hư Sinh Hoa owe him a large sum of money, forcing him to work as a blacksmith to repay the debt.
Now the methods Wei Vu Thần and Tinh Khiên were using were somewhat similar to Tần Mục's methods back then, but far more profound.
Tinh Khiên stared at Wei Vu Thần, praising endlessly: "What a fine thing, Wei Vu Thần, you are truly a marvelous treasure! None of the primordial spirits I've collected over the years are as formidable as you. Wei Vu Thần, you will be the finest piece in my collection!"
"Collect me?"
The two had already risen from the ground into the air. Wei Vu Thần sneered: "Do you think I'm a clay idol? My magical power is vast and boundless, my combat strength is fierce and limitless. I am not a false god of the false heavenly court — I am a deity from the true heavenly court! I have destroyed the old dynasties of the false heavenly court, destroyed countless powerful beings. Wherever I pass, corpses litter the fields, seas of blood stretch without end! You are merely a little thing who has cultivated some strange arts, swindling and deceiving like a street performer with cheap tricks. I know your trick — just now, only seven ethereal souls flew out of the box, not the three vital souls. Your soul is still yours, but you stole someone else's seven ethereal souls."
Tần Mục's expression shifted slightly: "Tinh Khiên's origin is his three vital souls? He cultivated to godhood from his three vital souls? Then his three vital souls may not necessarily be hidden in the box."
Tinh Khiên's expression changed slightly, then he praised: "What a fine thing, Wei Vu Thần, you make me appreciate you even more. Just now you bowed me to death, and your soul-bowing shamanic art has also revealed its secrets to me. The so-called soul-bowing shamanic art is not about bowing the opponent's soul into collapse, but rather bowing the opponent's three vital souls and seven ethereal souls into separation. Those you bow to death still have their souls intact — they are merely forcibly controlled by you. Otherwise, why would so many vengeful spirits cling to your body? Your shamanic art is merely an extraordinarily powerful soul divine ability!"
Tiểu Như Lai's body shook greatly, and he said in a low voice: "So that's how it is."
The many demonic monks beside him were protecting him, suppressing his soul which could collapse at any moment. Upon hearing this, they too suddenly understood, as if the clouds had parted to reveal the sun.
The Buddhist path's techniques were unique — the Buddha's eye could see vengeful spirits. They had long seen countless vengeful spirits clinging to Wei Vu Thần, and thought that converting Wei Vu Thần would be a tremendous merit, perhaps even allowing them to break through the twenty heavens of the Buddhist realm and become Buddhas.
Wei Vu Thần could bow someone to death just by knowing their name, scattering their soul to the winds — his shamanic art was incredibly powerful. But they had never connected the vengeful spirits coiling around Wei Vu Thần with the soul-bowing shamanic art.
Tần Mục's heart also trembled. Tinh Khiên was truly remarkable!
Wei Vu Thần had bowed him twice in total. The first time was when Ban Công Thố activated the soul-bowing shamanic art but failed to bow him to death. The second time was just now, directly "bowing Tinh Khiên to death."
In just two instances, he had seen through the mysteries of Wei Vu Thần's soul-bowing divine ability!
Such talent, such comprehension — truly extraordinary!
"His talent and comprehension are in no way inferior to the National Preceptor of Diên Khang! Unfortunately, this man's energy is all spent on seeking out other near-god powerhouses and collecting their bodies. If he could devote all his energy to cultivation... hmm, then he would probably have died of old age by now, after all, his divine bridge is broken... wait a moment!"
Tần Mục's body shook slightly, an expression of disbelief appearing in his eyes.
The National Preceptor of Diên Khang was the most talented and perceptive being he had ever seen — reforming and transforming the laws with unparalleled boldness. But before his reforms, he had already become famous throughout the world, hailed by the Old Như Lai and the Old Đạo Chủ as the sage born once every five hundred years!
The National Preceptor of Diên Khang was now in the prime of his life. So who was the sage born once every five hundred years before him?
"Could it be..."
Tần Mục's expression turned strange. Tinh Khiên's talent and comprehension were so high that only the National Preceptor of Diên Khang could match him. Didn't this mean that the sage born once every five hundred years in the Village Chief's era was Tinh Khiên?
"Very possible! The National Preceptor of Diên Khang also has a hobby of collecting other people's body parts!"
Tần Mục clenched his fist. The National Preceptor of Diên Khang had collected the Cripple's leg!
In mid-air, Wei Vu Thần and Tinh Khiên suddenly clashed. The darkness above Tiểu Tu Di Sơn was torn apart by their divine abilities. Although Wei Vu Thần could not bow him to death, he was after all the primordial spirit of a deity, with immense cultivation and formidable divine abilities. His abilities were mostly soul-based, but also included various other spells and techniques.
The power of his spells was vast and boundless, tearing open the darkness to reveal the strange faces hidden within.
With his spell power reaching this level, even without a physical body, his combat strength far exceeded Tiểu Như Lai's.
However, none of his divine abilities could touch Tinh Khiên.
Tinh Khiên's speed was simply too fast — a fleeting shadow, the same speed as the Cripple!
Against such speed, even Wei Vu Thần's divine abilities could not catch up, could not strike!
The Cripple's speed was number one in the world. If he fled at full speed, no one could catch him. In his life, he had only failed twice. The first time was when he was discovered by the National Preceptor of Diên Khang while stealing the imperial jade tablet. Before the Cripple's speed could fully erupt, the National Preceptor had already severed one of his legs with a single sword strike!
The second time was when he encountered Tinh Khiên.
Although the Cripple's speed was unbelievably fast, his cultivation was not as profound as Tinh Khiên's. Tinh Khiên pursued him relentlessly, eventually exhausting his cultivation and cutting off both his legs.
With such speed, it was nearly impossible for Wei Vu Thần to hit him!
Boom—
In mid-air, Wei Vu Thần took Tinh Khiên's first strike. His body shook, and his spiritual fetus was almost knocked out of his primordial spirit, panic showing on his face.
Then another thunderous boom — he took the second strike, his primordial spirit blasted with streams of true fire shooting from his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose, the separation between his spiritual fetus and soul widening further.
Boom boom boom — the heavy strikes in mid-air came in rapid succession. The spiritual fetus within Wei Vu Thần's primordial spirit was knocked flying in all directions, forming afterimages, his face twisted in panic.
He had no power to resist at all.
"The National Preceptor, that freak, might not even be a match for Tinh Khiên at this moment." Tần Mục's heart tightened. He glanced at Tinh Khiên's box not far away.
Tinh Khiên had set the box down this time, not carrying it on his back.
Beside the box, Ban Công Thố shrank his head, clutching the leg in his arms tightly.
"I'm doomed... My master is finished, he's no match for that freak Tinh Khiên at all. I originally planned to reap benefits while they both suffered, but now it looks like I won't get a single advantage..."
He took out his tham thao bag and stuffed the leg in his arms into it, thinking: "That Tinh Khiên is clever and cunning, he'll definitely force me to reattach this leg. If this leg really is poisoned by Tần giáo chủ, I'm dead for sure. Even if the leg isn't poisoned, Tinh Khiên will definitely cut it off and not leave it to me. Since that's the case, I might as well take the chance to slip away... But outside is darkness, I can't slip out."
Just as he thought this, he suddenly saw Tần Mục not far away take out a fist-sized pearl from his hand, muttering incantations as if activating some spell.
But Tinh Khiên was busy beating Wei Vu Thần and couldn't hear what this kid was saying.
"Huyền Vũ Châu!"
Ban Công Thố's eyes widened. He recognized the pearl in Tần Mục's hand — it was one of the four great spiritual treasures of Chân Thiên Cung, the Huyền Vũ Châu. However, even when he was still the Đại Tôn in his previous life, he had only seen this pearl, never held it in his own hands.
"This bastard has incredible luck, actually stealing the Huyền Vũ Châu from Chân Thiên Cung amidst the chaos!"
Just as he thought this, he saw Tần Mục's left hand change gestures unpredictably, flashes of afterimages streaking through the air, finally forming a sword seal that gently tapped the Huyền Vũ Châu.
"The techniques of Vạn Thần Tự Nhiên Công!"
Ban Công Thố's heart skipped a beat. Suddenly, the box beside him shook. Ban Công Thố's hair stood on end, but he saw the box shift twice, and then a leg grew out from under it!
Ban Công Thố almost cried out, then several more legs grew out from under the box. It shook, and then the box actually stood up.
Before Ban Công Thố could recover his senses, he saw Tần Mục jump onto the box. The box's four legs strode forward, dashing down the mountain. Halfway down the mountain, Long Kỳ Lân was diligently shrinking its size. When the box ran over, it leaped onto the box and sat down with a plop.
Ban Công Thố was stunned for a moment, then looked at Hư Sinh Hoa. Hư Sinh Hoa was holding Kinh Yến's hand, waving at Tần Mục on the box — clearly he knew about this.
"Cunning! This bastard even dares to steal Tinh Khiên's box!"
Ban Công Thố was about to shout to Tinh Khiên, but then changed his mind. His hands flew as he sprinted down the mountain.
The box was extremely fast, quickly reaching the mountain gate. Just as it was about to charge into the darkness, Ban Công Thố leaped up, grabbed onto the box, and was dragged into the darkness by the madly running box.
Inside the box, a pile of divine objects pushed back the surrounding darkness as its four legs madly charged into the pitch-black night.
"So it's the Đại Tôn."
Tần Mục turned back, discovering Ban Công Thố hanging under the box. He grinned widely, drew his sword, and slashed. Ban Công Thố took out the poisoned leg to block. Tần Mục's sword struck the leg, producing clanging sounds.
"Tần giáo chủ, stop!"
Ban Công Thố quickly called out: "If you attack again, I'll shout! See how you escape then!"
Tần Mục sheathed his sword, his face full of smiles: "What is the Đại Tôn saying? We're old acquaintances, how could I harm you? Đại Tôn, eating dirt under the box isn't good. Why don't I pull you up?"
He secretly kicked Long Kỳ Lân. Long Kỳ Lân understood, opening its mouth, true fire brewing inside, preparing to blast Ban Công Thố into the darkness the moment Tần Mục pulled him up, using the darkness of the Great Ruins to eliminate him.
Ban Công Thố shrank back, lying flat under the box, saying: "I appreciate the giáo chủ's kindness. I like eating dirt. I'm perfectly fine here, no need to worry about me."
At that moment, from above Tiểu Tu Di Sơn in the distance came Tinh Khiên's furious voice: "Tần đại thần y — I want to see if your heart is also black!"
"It definitely is." Ban Công Thố muttered softly from under the box.