Chapter 575: The Cult Leader's Eccentric Friends
At the Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge, a young man with two deer legs stepped out from the radiance. He looked up and scanned his surroundings, his heart filled with awe. Murmuring to himself, he said, "This world is far more magnificent than Yankang. Deities and demons are everywhere... That brat actually built this Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge, capable of reaching another world—truly a masterstroke of ingenuity. That little rascal loves messing around and never focuses on cultivation. Building this bridge must have cost him an enormous amount of time. How is it that his cultivation and strength have still improved so quickly..."
"Captain!"
One of the guards nearby nudged with his chin and whispered, "Look at that deer-legged youth. Is he the one from the painting that Cult Leader Qin gave us?"
The bridge guard quickly took out the painting of Qin Mu, compared it, and his eyes lit up. "The face is exactly the same! But in this painting, the youth only has one deer leg, while this one has two. Is it really him..."
As he hesitated, the youth strode down the stone steps with a clatter, heading downward.
"Regardless, capture him first!"
The guard exchanged glances with the other guards. They understood each other without words and leaped into the air. Various divine abilities and spirit weapons erupted—sword pellets, blade pellets, towering buildings, lofty pagodas, massive cauldrons—all swift and fierce, crashing down with a thunderous boom, engulfing the deer-legged youth. Terrifying ripples surged in all directions, taking a long time to settle.
The Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge was of utmost importance, so most of its guardians were experts, at least at the Life and Death Realm, with several at the Divine Bridge Realm.
The guards withdrew their spirit weapons and hurried to the edge of the altar to look down. There was nothing but a patch of bare ground, with no trace of the deer-legged youth.
Alarmed, they searched everywhere, their eyes glowing as they illuminated a range of over a hundred miles. Suddenly, a hundred miles away, the deer-legged youth reappeared, trotting lightly forward on his two deer legs.
"Shoot him down with divine eye techniques!"
The guard shouted. The guards' eyes rapidly condensed divine light, forming beams of terrifying power aimed at the youth a hundred miles away.
Just as their pupil-based divine abilities were about to strike him, the deer-legged youth vanished. When he reappeared, he was another hundred miles away, now two hundred miles from the Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge.
As the guards prepared to condense their pupil techniques again, the youth vanished once more, completely out of sight.
The guards exchanged horrified glances, at a loss.
Just then, a clattering sound came from behind. Another youth stepped out of the Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge, followed by a large chest.
That chest had several legs, walking with a clatter, trailing behind the handsome, clear-eyed youth.
"That seems to be Cult Leader Qin's chest, but this person isn't Cult Leader Qin..."
As the guards puzzled, the youth's eyes sparkled like stars, and his voice was pleasant. "Is this Taihuangtian? Where can I find true demons?"
The guard replied politely, "Little brother, are you from Yankang? What do you want with true demons? If you're looking for demons, you'll have to go to the demon clan's territory over there. The Yankang National Teacher is training soldiers in Li City. You should go to Li City and seek out the National Teacher first to make things easier."
The youth shook his head. "I only want to collect the physical bodies and primordial spirits of some demon gods. Why would I seek out that junior, the Yankang National Teacher? The current him isn't worth collecting."
He was about to leave when suddenly an old man with a wrinkled face, carrying a large chest and a huge furnace on his back, stepped out of the Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge, beaming with a cheerful smile.
"Why are all the people coming from Yankang today such weirdos?"
The guards were baffled. "First came a youth with two deer legs, then two strange fellows with chests..."
When the youth saw this old man carrying the furnace and chest, his face changed dramatically, turning extremely grim. "Mute, I've been looking for you for a long time!"
The old man's face also changed upon seeing him, his smile freezing. "Ah-ba, ah, ah!"
"That's right, it's me, Xing Han!"
Xing Han's killing intent surged like a tide. He said coldly, "Even though the current you is no longer worth collecting, you trapped me for so long. This grudge must be avenged..."
"Mute, you run fast!"
The Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge flashed with light. A massively built man draped in a cloak stepped out, a large blade resting on his shoulder. He laughed, "Your chest is really something—turning into a boat and bolting away, making it impossible for me to catch up... Xing Han!"
"Heavenly Blade!"
Xing Han's eyelids twitched. The chest behind him suddenly retracted its legs and hid behind him, clearly still remembering being chopped to pieces by the Butcher.
Xing Han clasped his hands behind his back and said calmly, "So you've also broken through the Divine Bridge and entered the Heavenly Palace? A mute and a Heavenly Blade—two deities, both my enemies. Heh, you can come at me together."
The Butcher's eyes lit up, and he roared with laughter. "Xing Han, I chased you for eighty thousand miles, and you still escaped. You're quite something! That old man Village Chief said you were extremely powerful. Too bad he's dead, but you're still alive. I've long wanted to have a go at you!"
Xing Han smiled faintly, leisurely. "The Human Sovereign Sword God? He's long ceased to be my match. Come at me together. After I finish you off, I still need to hunt demon gods to enrich my collection."
The Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge flickered again. A tall, lean old man in green robes stepped out, exuding an extraordinary aura like a lofty prince. He touched his two iron ears, confirming they were still there, and sighed in relief. He said doubtfully, "Was this bridge built by Mu'er? Mu'er is becoming more and more capable... Xing Han!"
"Deafy, that little bastard Xing Han has become a deity!"
The Butcher shouted, "You're the weakest—be careful!"
The Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge flickered again, and everyone's eyes brightened. A peerless beauty stepped out of the light. Her beautiful eyes swept over them, and everyone was momentarily dazed.
"Xing Han?" she said in surprise.
"Granny Si, make yourself look older! Don't let me lose focus!"
The Butcher roared, "When we attack together, we'll take this bastard down!"
From the Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge, a short, wiry old man stepped out, carrying a black dragon spear on his back. He said leisurely, "Xing Han, you've got quite the big mouth."
Behind him followed a gaunt old man with a foolish grin. When he caught sight of Xing Han, his face changed drastically, and he quickly turned to go back into the bridge, but the black-spear old man grabbed his sleeve, forcing him to stay.
Xing Han's gaze shifted from Granny Si's face to the Blind Man, and 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 stepped out of the Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge, panting heavily. He gasped, "You all run too fast! I pushed myself to the limit just to barely catch up. Don't run anymore... Huh? Xing Han is here too?"
Xing Han's face changed dramatically. He grabbed his chest and fled into the distance. With a thunderous boom, his figure broke through the air, leaving a trail of cloud. Before anyone could react, he was already a hundred miles away, his speed astonishing.
The Medicine Master touched the mask on his face, puzzled. "Why did he run so fast? I hadn't even made my move yet..."
"Heavenly Blade Teacher—"
From the Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge, a deep, resonant voice came from the Great Ruins, shaking the air. "I see you! Don't run! Azure Ox, hurry up! Teacher, I have so much to tell you—you—you—"
The Butcher's face turned ashen. He quickly said, "Bashan is catching up! Let's go!"
Granny Si and the others hurriedly left. After a moment, a burly man over ten zhang tall descended from the sky, a peony flower in his mouth, his muscles bouncing excitedly as he stepped out of the light. Then another big man followed, looking around and saying happily, "Teacher's blade light is too conspicuous—can't hide from me! Azure Ox, reveal your true form!"
The burly man let out a loud moo and transformed into a forty-zhang-long azure ox, covered in blue mane and dragon scales. The big man jumped onto its back, and the ox galloped through the air.
The guards at the Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge looked at each other in bewilderment. The captain exhaled deeply and said, "So many weirdos came today..."
Before he finished, light flickered again. From the bridge stepped an old monk and two young monks. The old monk radiated solemn dignity, with twenty heavens manifesting behind him. In those heavens sat hundreds of monks of all ages, some human, some demon.
The two young monks—one with a face as round as the full moon, exuding solemnity, and the other as sturdy as an iron tower, holding a staff—followed.
The old monk said, "Zhan Kong, ask for directions."
The burly, hairy monk stepped forward, made a single-palm salute, and asked the guard captain, "Road?"
The captain was utterly confused. He ventured, "Good? Evil?"
The hairy monk said, "Good."
"There!" The guard captain pointed toward Li City.
The old monk strode forward, leading the two young monks off the bridge. Ming Yue praised, "Tathagata, Senior Brother Zhan Kong's way of asking directions is truly concise—just two words and he got the way. This disciple has learned a great deal."
Horse Tathagata nodded. "He possesses great wisdom."
The guards watched them leave in a daze. Before they could recover, a group of old Daoists and old nuns, surrounding a young Daoist, emerged from the bridge.
"So this is the Spirit Energy Teleportation Bridge built by that old demon Qin? His mastery of mathematical arts has reached the pinnacle!"
Ignoring the guards, the old Daoists and nuns took out various calculation tools and, completely absorbed, began measuring and calculating the bridge's runes and symbols, chatting excitedly.
The guards exchanged glances and were about to approach the young Daoist when they saw him even more excited than the old Daoists, measuring and calculating, muttering to himself with fervent obsession.
"These people from Yankang are all weirdos!"
While the Daoists were still measuring and calculating, a few elderly men with immortal airs led several young men and women over. Seeing the scene, they laughed. "Daoist Lin Xuan, what are you doing?"
"So it's the seniors from Little Jade Capital, and Senior Brother Mu Ran!"
Lin Xuan looked up excitedly. "The mathematical arts Cult Leader Qin applied to this bridge are astonishing! We're calculating them!"
Wang Muran laughed. "Daoist Lin, even if you calculate, you might not grasp all the knowledge within. Why not go ask Cult Leader Qin for a set of blueprints for your Daoist sect?"
Lin Xuan suddenly understood and called over his Daoists, laughing. "As soon as we saw this bridge, we forgot there was a shortcut. By the way, has Senior Brother Xu Sheng Hua arrived yet?"
Mu Qingdai said, "After he returned from the Upper Firmament, he went to Taihuangtian. He should have arrived long ago. He's probably at the Demon Suppression Pagoda, testing whether he can pass the trial of the young true god."
The crowd bustled toward Li City, clearly having had disciples come here before who knew the way, leaving only the bewildered guards behind.
"Are all these people friends of Cult Leader Qin? They're all weirdos!"
The guard captain muttered to himself, "Cult Leader Qin is such a normal, good person. How did he end up with these strange friends?"