Chapter 575: The Sect Master's Eccentric Friends
On the Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge, a young man with two deer legs stepped out from the radiance, looked up and glanced around, his heart shaken with awe. He murmured, "This world is far more magnificent than Di Khang. Gods and demons are everywhere... That brat built this Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge, able to reach another world directly—truly a masterwork of divine craftsmanship. That little rascal loves tinkering with this and that, never focusing on cultivation. Building this bridge must have cost him no telling how much time. How is it his cultivation and strength still improve so quickly..."
"Captain!"
A guard beside him pursed his lips and whispered, "Look at that deer-legged youth—is he the one in the portrait Sect Master Qin gave us?"
The bridge guard hastily took out Qin Mu's painting, compared it, and his eyes lit up. "The face is exactly the same! However, the youth in this painting only has one deer leg, while this youth has two deer legs. Is it really him..."
While he was hesitating, he saw the youth stride down the stone steps with his two deer legs, heading downward.
"Regardless, capture him first!"
The guard cast a meaningful glance at the other guards. They understood each other's intent and each soared into the air. Various divine abilities and spirit weapons erupted—sword orbs, blade orbs, tall towers, high pagodas, great cauldrons, and other spirit weapons—striking with lightning speed, crashing down in a thunderous barrage, engulfing the deer-legged youth. Terrifying shockwaves surged in all directions, and it was a long while before they subsided.
The Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge was of utmost importance, so most of those guarding it were experts—at minimum at the Life and Death Realm, with several powerful figures at the Divine Bridge Realm.
The group each withdrew their spirit weapons and quickly walked to the edge of the altar to look down. They saw only a patch of bare ground, with no trace of the deer-legged youth.
The crowd was horrified and searched in all directions. Their eyes blazed as they illuminated a distance of over a hundred li. Suddenly, they spotted the deer-legged youth appearing beyond a hundred li away, trotting forward lightly on his two deer legs.
"Shoot him down with divine eye techniques!"
The guard shouted. The many guards rapidly condensed divine light in their eyes, transforming into beams of terrifying power aimed at the deer-legged youth over a hundred li away.
Just as their pupil-art divine abilities were about to land on him, the deer-legged youth suddenly vanished. When he reappeared, he was again another hundred li away, now some two hundred li from the Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge.
As the group prepared to condense their pupil-art divine abilities once more, the deer-legged youth vanished again, and they could no longer see him.
The crowd exchanged horrified glances, somewhat at a loss.
Just then, they heard the sound of clattering footsteps behind them. Another youth walked out of the Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge, followed by a large chest.
That chest had several legs and walked with a clattering sound, following behind the handsome, clear-eyed youth.
"That seems to be Sect Master Qin's chest, but this person isn't Sect Master Qin..."
While the crowd was puzzled, the youth's eyes shone like stars, and his voice was very pleasant to the ear. He said, "Is this Thái Hoàng Heaven? Where are the true demons?"
The guard said politely, "Is this young brother from Di Khang? What do you seek true demons for? If you're looking for demons, you'll have to go to the demon race's territory over there. Di Khang's National Preceptor is training soldiers at Ly Thành. You should first go to Ly Thành to seek out the National Preceptor, and then things will be easier."
The youth shook his head. "I only wish to collect the physical bodies and primordial spirits of some gods and demons. Why would I seek out that junior, the Di Khang National Preceptor? The current him is not yet worth collecting."
He was about to leave when suddenly an old man with a face full of wrinkles walked out of the Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge, carrying a large chest and a great furnace on his back, beaming with a cheerful smile.
"Why is it that everyone crossing over from Di Khang today is so strange?"
The guards were puzzled. "First came a youth with two deer legs, then two odd fellows carrying chests..."
When the youth saw this old man carrying a furnace and a chest, his expression changed drastically, his face turning extremely grim. "Dumb One, I've been searching for you for a long time!"
When the old man saw him, his expression also changed, his smile stiffening on his face. "Ah ba, ah, ah!"
"That's right, it's me, Tinh Hàn!"
Tinh Hàn's killing intent surged to the heavens. He said coldly, "Although the current you is no longer worth collecting, you trapped me for so long. If I don't avenge this grudge..."
"Dumb One, you run so fast!"
The Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge flashed with light, and an extremely burly man draped in a great cloak walked out from the bridge, a huge blade resting on his shoulder. He laughed, "Your chest is really something—turning into a boat and running off at the drop of a hat, making it impossible for me to catch up... Tinh Hàn!"
"Thiên Đao!"
Tinh Hàn's brow twitched. The chest behind him suddenly retracted its legs and hid behind him, clearly still remembering the time it was chopped into pieces by the Butcher.
Tinh Hàn clasped his hands behind his back and said calmly, "So you've also broken through the Divine Bridge and entered the Heavenly Palace? A Dumb One and a Thiên Đao—two deities, both my enemies! Heh heh, you can come at me together."
The Butcher's eyes lit up, and he laughed heartily. "Tinh Hàn, I chased you for eighty thousand li and you still escaped. You're quite something! The Village Chief said you have extraordinary abilities. Unfortunately, the Village Chief is dead, but you're still alive. I've long wanted to test myself against you!"
Tinh Hàn smiled faintly and said leisurely, "The Human Emperor's Sword God? He's long since no match for me. Come at me together. After I deal with you, I still need to go hunt demons and enrich my collection."
The Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge flashed again, and a tall, slender old man in green robes walked out. He had an extraordinary bearing, like a lofty prince, and touched his two iron ears, finding them still there. Only then did he let out a sigh of relief. He said with confusion, "Was this bridge built by Mục? Mục is becoming more and more capable... Tinh Hàn!"
"Deaf One, that little brat Tinh Hàn has cultivated to become a deity!"
The Butcher shouted, "You're the weakest—be careful!"
The Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge flashed, and the crowd's eyes brightened. A stunningly beautiful woman stepped out from the radiance, and as her beautiful eyes glanced around, everyone was somewhat dazed.
"Tinh Hàn?" she said in surprise.
"Granny Tư, age yourself a bit—don't make me lose focus!"
The Butcher shouted angrily, "We'll go together in a bit and take this bastard down!"
From the Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge, another short, elderly man walked out, a black dragon spear slung across his back. He said leisurely, "Tinh Hàn, you've got quite the big talk."
Behind him followed a thin, simple-looking old man who caught sight of Tinh Hàn. His expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly turned to go back into the Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge, but the black-spear old man grabbed his sleeve, forcing him to stay.
Tinh Hàn's gaze moved away from Granny Tư's face and landed on the Blind Man. He sneered, "All my old enemies are here. Perfect—I'll send you all on your way together."
Just then, a burly man wearing a bronze mask walked out of the Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge, panting heavily. He gasped for breath, saying, "You all ran too fast. I nearly killed myself to catch up, and I can't run anymore... Eh? Tinh Hàn is here too?"
Tinh Hàn's expression changed drastically. He grabbed his chest and fled into the distance. With a thunderous boom, his figure broke through the air, leaving a trail of cloud vapor. Before the crowd could even react, he had already bolted over a hundred li away, his speed so great it left everyone stunned.
The Pharmacist touched the mask on his face and said with surprise, "Why is he running so fast? I hadn't even had a chance to make my move..."
"Thiên Đao teacher—"
From the Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge, a deep, resounding voice came from the Great Ruin, shaking the ears: "I saw you! Don't you run! Green Ox, run faster! Teacher, I have so much to say to you—you—you—"
The Butcher's face turned ashen. He quickly said, "Bá Sơn has caught up. Let's go!"
Granny Tư and the others hurriedly departed. After a moment, a towering green-ox man over ten zhang tall descended from the sky, a peony flower clamped between his teeth, his muscles bouncing as he walked out of the radiance in great excitement. Another burly man followed behind him, looking around and saying happily, "Teacher's blade light is too conspicuous—can't hide it from me! Green Ox, show your true form!"
The green-ox man let out a loud "Moo!" and transformed into a green ox over forty zhang from head to tail, covered in green mane and dragon scales. The burly man leaped onto the ox's back, and the green ox trod through the air and departed.
The guards of the Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge looked at each other in bewilderment. The captain let out a turbid breath and said, "So many strange people came today..."
Before he even finished speaking, the light suddenly flickered, and from the bridge's radiance stepped out an old monk and two young monks. The old monk had a solemn, majestic appearance, with twenty heavens manifesting behind him. Seated within those twenty heavens were hundreds of eminent monks of all ages and sizes—some demons, some humans.
Of the two young monks, one had a face like a full moon, solemn and dignified, while the other was as mighty as a black pagoda, holding a staff in his hand.
The old monk said, "Chiến Không, ask for directions."
The burly, hairy monk stepped forward, pressed his palms together in a single-fist salute, and asked the guard captain, "Road?"
The captain was completely baffled, scratching his head like a monk who couldn't make sense of it. He tested, "Good? Evil?"
The black monk said, "Good."
"Then!" The guard captain raised his hand and pointed toward the direction of Ly Thành.
The old monk stepped forward, leading the two young monks off the bridge. Minh Nguyệt praised, "Như Lai, Senior Brother Chiến Không's way of asking directions is truly concise—just two words and he found the way. This disciple has learned much."
Mã Như Lai nodded. "He possesses great wisdom."
The many guards watched them depart in a daze. Before they could recover, a group of old Daoist priests and old nuns came out of the bridge, surrounding a young Daoist priest.
"So this is the Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge that Old Demon Qin built? Old Demon Qin's mastery of numerological arts is truly at its peak!"
The old Daoist priests and old nuns paid no attention to the guards. They took out various calculation tools and, ignoring everyone around them, began measuring and calculating the various runic marks on the bridge, chattering excitedly among themselves.
The guards exchanged bewildered looks and were about to approach the young Daoist priest to ask questions, when they saw that the young Daoist priest was even more excited than the old Daoists. He measured and calculated at the same time, muttering to himself with fanatical fervor, utterly entranced.
"The people from Di Khang are all strange!"
While these Daoists were still measuring and calculating, a few elders with immortal bearing led some young men and women over. Seeing this scene, they laughed and said, "Lâm Hiên Đạo Chủ, what are you all doing?"
"So it's the seniors from Tiểu Ngọc Kinh, and Senior Brother Mộc Nhiên!"
Lâm Hiên Đạo Chủ looked up and said excitedly, "The numerological arts Sect Master Qin applied to this bridge are truly astonishing. We're calculating them!"
Vương Mộc Nhiên laughed. "Đạo Chủ, even if you calculate, you may not be able to work out all the knowledge within. Why not go ask Sect Master Qin to give your Daoist sect a copy of the blueprints?"
Lâm Hiên Đạo Chủ suddenly realized the truth and called over the many Daoists, laughing, "As soon as we saw this teleportation bridge, we forgot there was a shortcut. By the way, has Senior Brother Hư Sinh Hoa arrived yet?"
Mộc Thanh Đại said, "After he returned from Thượng Thương, he went to Thái Hoàng Heaven. He should have arrived long ago—most likely he went to the Town God Tower to see if he can pass the Young True God's trial."
The crowd bustled noisily toward Ly Thành, clearly having had disciples come here before who knew the way, leaving only the bewildered guards behind.
"Are all these people Sect Master Qin's friends? They're all such strange people!"
The guard captain murmured, "Sect Master Qin is such a normal, good person—how could he be friends with all these oddballs?"