Chapter 816: To Take, One Must First Give
Mind Art Buddha Master wore a pure white Buddhist robe, appearing to be around twenty years old, with delicate features and an exceptionally handsome appearance.
Such a monk, even without top-tier cultivation and talent, could probably captivate countless proud daughters of heaven with his outstanding looks alone.
The five fingers of his right hand formed a Buddhist seal, controlling the Ten Thousand Treasures Kasaya, and struck once more toward the Ghost King Grand Formation.
With a thunderous roar.
The Ghost King Grand Formation could not withstand the power of the Ten Thousand Treasures Kasaya; a large portion shattered, tombstones were uprooted and flung into the air, and formation inscription patterns snapped apart.
Mind Art Buddha Master did not immediately charge into the passage. He remained standing in the dark black lake water, retracted his arm, drew the Ten Thousand Treasures Kasaya back, and draped it over his shoulders again.
His eyes were exceptionally bright, as if they could see through all the obstacles in the world. He said, "Benefactor Zhang, the Dead Zen Sect has never had any grievances with you. Why did you kill Jialuo Kong?"
Zhang Ruochen walked out from the broken Ghost King Grand Formation, stood at the edge of the stone wall, and stared at Mind Art Buddha Master across from him.
Even though the other party was a legendary extraordinary talent from a hundred years ago, he still remained very calm. "If I hadn't killed him, he would have killed me. I had no choice."
A circle of golden Buddhist light revolved slowly behind Mind Art Buddha Master, making him appear extremely sacred, almost indistinguishable from the legendary Arhats, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas.
"In that case, this humble monk will give you a choice."
Mind Art Buddha Master said unhurriedly, "You can choose to return Jialuo Kong to this humble monk, and then follow me to the Dead Zen Sect to atone for your sins."
"Of course, you can also choose to follow me to the Ghost God Valley to do one task for me. After completing that task, it will also count as your atonement. Which of these two paths will you choose?"
People from the Dead Zen Sect were also going to the Ghost God Valley.
What exactly were they going to do there?
Hearing Mind Art Buddha Master's words, many questions arose in Zhang Ruochen's mind, but he did not voice them. Even if he asked, the other party would certainly not tell him the answer, so why bother humiliating himself?
Zhang Ruochen smiled and said, "Both paths you've given require me to surrender without a fight. Am I right?"
Mind Art Buddha Master nodded and added, "Actually, there is a third path."
"Oh?"
Mind Art Buddha Master said, "Doesn't murder require paying with one's life?"
"So, having you kill me is my third path?"
Zhang Ruochen smiled again. "I'm curious about one thing. You've killed quite a few people too, shouldn't you also pay with your life?"
Mind Art Buddha Master, without any hesitation, said calmly, "Of course, I should also pay with my life. However, there are not many people who can take my life. Do you have any more questions?"
"No," Zhang Ruochen shook his head.
"Then, what is your choice?"
"The choices you've given are too harsh. I don't want to choose."
Zhang Ruochen took a step to the left, making way.
Immediately, a mass of black ghost mist surged out from inside the passage, stopped to Zhang Ruochen's right, and condensed into the form of Blood Moon Ghost King.
Blood Moon Ghost King's injuries had mostly healed, and the aura emanating from her ghostly body was extremely cold. Standing beside her, Zhang Ruochen felt as if the sacred qi within his body had frozen into a solid state, completely unable to circulate.
"The power of a Ghost King is truly terrifying," Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
If he were to face Blood Moon Ghost King at this moment, he probably wouldn't even have a chance to strike before being suppressed.
Seeing Blood Moon Ghost King, Mind Art Buddha Master's gaze sharpened. "Benefactor Zhang, you should know that Blood Moon Ghost King cannot protect you. Why cooperate with her?"
"Your words are too absolute."
A blood moon imprint appeared on Blood Moon Ghost King's forehead. Her long hair flew up completely as she charged forward, standing opposite Mind Art Buddha Master.
"Boom!"
Before Zhang Ruochen's eyes could react, Blood Moon Ghost King and Mind Art Buddha Master had already clashed once.
An extremely powerful shockwave surged toward Zhang Ruochen with a howling sound.
If the shockwave hit his body, not to mention Zhang Ruochen, even a being above the Seventh-Step Half-Saint would probably die without a complete corpse.
Fortunately, Zhang Ruochen had prepared in advance and immediately performed a Space Displacement, retreating back into the broken Ghost King Grand Formation.
By this time, Xiao Hei had already activated the remnant formation, enveloping both him and Zhang Ruochen within the formation inscription patterns, blocking the shockwaves of the battle.
"Boom, rumble!"
A series of thunderous sounds echoed at the bottom of the Blood Lake.
Mind Art Buddha Master clearly intended to end the battle quickly and did not want to continue entangled with Blood Moon Ghost King. So, he struck out with the Ten Thousand Treasures Kasaya again.
In the Blood Lake, it was as if ten thousand "stars" were suspended. The sacred qi radiating from these "stars" boiled the massive lake.
Each star was a Buddhist artifact.
Blood Moon Ghost King's expression turned extremely ugly. She immediately retreated backward, all the way to above the Ghost King Grand Formation. She looked down and said, "Zhang Ruochen, where is the Void Sword?"
Zhang Ruochen had long since borrowed the Void Sword from Hanxue. Holding it in his hands, he tossed it upward.
Instantly, the Void Sword transformed into a beam of white light, shooting into the sky.
Blood Moon Ghost King's fingers grasped through the air, seizing the hilt of the Void Sword.
The moment she grabbed the Void Sword, even with her level of cultivation, a flicker of excitement appeared in her eyes.
Legend had it that this was the divine weapon Qiangu Nüdi had used to kill a god.
"Whoosh!"
As Blood Moon Ghost King continuously poured her ghostly qi into the Void Sword, inscription patterns rapidly emerged on the sword's body.
Immediately after, a powerful sword qi transformed into a pillar of light, breaking through the lake's surface and connecting to the sky.
At this moment, undead beings within ten thousand li could clearly see the pillar of sword light rising from the Blood Lake, frightening them into immediately hiding in their graves.
"Boom!"
The Void Sword and the Ten Thousand Treasures Kasaya collided, generating a powerful energy shockwave.
If that energy had surged toward the broken Ghost King Grand Formation, it would probably have shattered the formation in an instant.
However, the power of the Void Sword was clearly stronger than the Ten Thousand Treasures Kasaya, causing the shockwave from the battle to tilt entirely in one direction.
With just one strike, the Void Sword shattered over a hundred Buddhist artifacts on the Ten Thousand Treasures Kasaya, turning them into pieces of scrap metal that fell down.
Mind Art Buddha Master let out a muffled groan and flew backward.
"What a formidable Void Sword. This humble monk has witnessed its power today!"
Mind Art Buddha Master glanced at Blood Moon Ghost King across from him, then withdrew the Ten Thousand Treasures Kasaya, transformed into a beam of golden Buddhist light, shot out of the Blood Lake, and flew toward the horizon.
After all, the Ten Thousand Treasures Kasaya was merely a defensive sacred object, while the Void Sword was an offensive sacred artifact. Naturally, there was a certain gap between them.
Unless a divine artifact appeared, nothing could block the Void Sword.
Mind Art Buddha Master's speed was astonishing; in the blink of an eye, he had already disappeared beyond the horizon.
Having tasted the Void Sword's immense power for the first time, Blood Moon Ghost King was in high spirits. How could she let Mind Art Buddha Master escape so easily?
"Where do you think you're going?"
Blood Moon Ghost King stood on the lake's surface and struck out with the Void Sword.
The light emitted by the Void Sword illuminated even the dark underworld as if it were daytime. It transformed into a streak of light, chasing behind Mind Art Buddha Master and striking forward.
"Pfft!"
Even with the Ten Thousand Treasures Kasaya's protection, Mind Art Buddha Master still suffered severe injuries, spitting out a mouthful of sacred blood.
Nevertheless, having endured this strike, Mind Art Buddha Master finally escaped, not dying under the Void Sword.
At this moment, Zhang Ruochen and Xiao Hei had also flown out of the Blood Lake and were standing on the shore.
Zhang Ruochen's eyes gazed into the distant sky as he sighed softly. "As expected of Nan Xinshu. Even the Void Sword couldn't kill him."
Zhang Ruochen had lent the Void Sword to Blood Moon Ghost King with one of his purposes being to use her hand to eliminate the great enemy, Mind Art Buddha Master.
Unfortunately, Mind Art Buddha Master's cultivation was too profound, and he had ultimately survived.
"He escaped?"
Blood Moon Ghost King was also quite disappointed and let out a cold snort.
Of course, even if Mind Art Buddha Master had escaped, it didn't matter. At least she had obtained the Void Sword. With the power of the Void Sword, her status in the underworld would surely rise significantly.
Blood Moon Ghost King's gaze turned toward Zhang Ruochen on the lakeshore, a hint of mockery in her eyes. She muttered to herself, "If I want to keep the Void Sword, I have to deal with him first."
Blood Moon Ghost King waved her arm, mobilizing ghostly qi, intending to retrieve the Void Sword, which was hundreds of li away.
Just then, Zhang Ruochen squinted his eyes, took out the Cosmic Divine Wood Map, activated the power of the scroll, opened a space gate, and said to Hanxue in the Scroll World, "Now."
Hanxue, standing beside the Space-Time Gate, immediately communicated with the sword spirit of the Void Sword, retrieved it, and held it in her right hand.
On the surface of the Blood Lake, Blood Moon Ghost King was slightly startled.
The Void Sword had clearly flown back, but it deviated direction and fell into the hands of a little girl. How could this be?
"Let's go."
Zhang Ruochen, Xiao Hei, and Hanxue rushed into the space gate at top speed.
"Hateful human boy! Leave the Void Sword behind. You can't escape from this king's sight."
Seeing that the space gate was about to close, Blood Moon Ghost King didn't think twice. She turned into an afterimage, closely following Zhang Ruochen, and charged into the space gate.
If she had been given a little more time, Blood Moon Ghost King would have noticed a scroll lying on the ground by the lakeshore. However, the scroll was wrapped in the Meteor Invisibility Cloak, making it difficult to detect.
Unfortunately, Blood Moon Ghost King was too eager to obtain the Void Sword, afraid that Zhang Ruochen and Hanxue would escape, so she immediately rushed into the space gate.
It could be said that when Zhang Ruochen lent her the Void Sword, he had already set a trap for her, and he had also used her to help repel Mind Art Buddha Master.
The so-called "to take, one must first give" was exactly this principle.
The Void Sword was the bait, and the big fish it was fishing for was none other than Blood Moon Ghost King.
As long as she was lured into the Scroll World, she would be at Zhang Ruochen's mercy from then on.
Clearly, this risky gamble had succeeded!