Chapter 1814: Chapter 1841: The New Successor, Shangguan Dong
The next morning.
The sun was bright, and everything was as usual.
The villagers went out to pray, to work, no different from usual.
Li Xiaobai was awakened by the knocking on the door. He had gone to the back mountain last night, and Ma Niubi and Liaowang were still trapped in the trees.
“Who is it?”
Li Xiaobai opened the door and was stunned. Ma Niubi and Liaowang somehow appeared at the door.
“What’s going on, how did you get out?”
“I don’t know, the tree on the back mountain suddenly failed. All the corpses fell, and the restraints on me and Master Liaowang were lifted.”
Ma Niubi and Liaowang entered the house, dusting off their sleeves.
Once freed, they immediately came looking for him.
The back mountain is truly no place for a person; it was eerie with Ghost Qi, gloomy, unable to penetrate sunshine.
“It seems that something happened with Monk Changsheng, the rules he established were destroyed.”
Li Xiaobai muttered to himself, proceeding smoother than imagined.
“Three masters, the village head is gathering everyone to the monastery to make an announcement.”
Outside, Fang Hua’s voice came.
Something is happening in Jade Lotus Village, village head Shangguan Dong is gathering the villagers.
A few minutes later.
Inside the monastery.
The courtyard.
It was packed with people.
Li Xiaobai and the others stayed at the back of the crowd, observing.
The giant statue in the courtyard had disappeared without a trace.
Shangguan Dong pushed a small cart covered with white cloth in front of everyone.
“Everyone, last night a major event occurred. Wang Dachui assassinated Master Changsheng. This morning, I couldn’t find the master, so I went to the temple to look for him, and upon discovery, only a corpse and a letter remained.”
Shangguan Dong opened that white paper and read aloud.
“Master’s last words, knowing for certain of his death, willingly offered his flesh to everyone for consumption.”
“But how could anyone of us commit such an ungrateful act? Even if this does not break the rules, even if the master volunteered, we must not do this. I will bury his corpse at the first fork on the back mountain’s trail, you may pay your respects as you see fit.”
After speaking, Shangguan Dong pushed the cart away.
“Farewell, Master!”
The villagers wore surprisingly calm expressions, without shock or grief.
Li Xiaobai felt chills down his spine; he realized he completely misunderstood this village. He always thought these villagers were devout followers of Monk Changsheng, but it turns out, apparently not. The villagers showed no emotion towards Monk Changsheng.
The news of Monk Changsheng’s death and Wang Dachui being taken to the back mountain spread, and the villagers dispersed like birds and beasts.
In the following days, it was peaceful. No one disturbed Li Xiaobai and the others, nor came trouble them, except for Fang Hua, who occasionally visited.
The three did not rush to leave because the Law of Order remained here.
Monk Changsheng was stripped of the qualification to use the Law of Order, and subsequently died. This powerful Law is likely without an owner, awaiting the appearance of the next host; acquiring it would provide a standing chance among the starry sky.
In the evening.
The three snuck into the back mountain.
They were sure the Power of Laws was hidden here.
Passing through the deep path, approaching the fork, they saw a startling scene.
Several villagers, bloodstained faces, were digging in the ground, holding knives, gnawing on a finger.
That was Monk Changsheng’s grave; the villagers knew consuming his flesh gives immortality, hence they gathered here to feast.
Among them, a petite figure looked familiar, it was Fang Hua, completely different from during the day, her throat rolling, eyes crimson, growling sounds as she fought for the finger with a middle-aged man beside her.
At the same time, from all directions, more rustling sounds came; there were an unknown number of villagers secretly gathering in the forest, lurking beside Monk Changsheng’s grave, waiting for Fang Hua’s group to finish the corpse and leave, then they would follow up.
Li Xiaobai felt his stomach churn, nauseated, quietly retreated.
“Let’s leave, Monk Changsheng’s death didn’t reduce the eeriness of this place at all; the Law of Order seems unrelated to us.”
“By the way, why hasn’t Mr. Yu shown up? Logically, the Three Inch Golden Lotus should have been dealt with long ago.”
“Leave the village first and then we talk.”
The three dared not stay, sprinting towards the village exit.
At the village entrance, Shangguan Dong gazed into the distance, motionless.
As Li Xiaobai brushed past him, a hoarse voice entered his ear: “From now on, when entering or leaving the village, step with your right foot first, that’s the new rule.”
Afterwards, the Jade Lotus Village behind gradually blurred until it turned into a wisp of green smoke and dissipated.
Underfoot lay a terribly desolate region, no buildings, no signs of human habitation; everything that happened in the last few days felt like a dream.
Li Xiaobai knew, the village had concealed itself, unwilling to be seen, and village head Shangguan Dong became the new protector of the Law of Order.
[Ding! Host detected having completed a mental journey; can break through the current realm.]
[Host: Li Xiaobai.]
[…]
[Cultivation level: Four Parts Obversation Realm Third Part (Attribute Points: Fifty million/Fifty million) (Mental Journey once/zero) (Tribulation Crossing three times/zero) can break through.]
[…]
Clearing this strange Jade Lotus Village, the System automatically completed a mental journey test, advancing cultivation level to Four Parts Obversation Realm Third Part.
For him now, whether it’s Attribute Points or Heavenly Tribulation, it’s an easy task; just experiencing one more key mental journey, he can see the threshold of the Immortal Gods Realm.
“Everything here is high-end nonsense.”
Li Xiaobai couldn’t help but sigh.
“Upon entering the starry sky, it feels much more dangerous than before; during a month in the Immortal Gods Realm, there wasn’t a decent fight, yet in Yue Xing in a day, we’ve faced ambush from two groups.”
Ma Niubi felt a sense of relief after surviving; he and Liaowang practically did nothing, carried through by Li Xiaobai.
“There’s no need to be so discouraged. According to this humble monk’s view, cultivators in the starry sky are strong largely because their thinking differs, differing from the cultivators of the Immortal Gods Realm.”
Liaowang remained calm.
Li Xiaobai: “Whatever, I won’t be coming back to this creepy place.”
As he spoke, the Gate of Destiny from his embrace flew out, a figure rushed towards them in a hurry.
“Where did you three go? Yu has been lingering around for days without a trace.”
Yu Huan Shui looked at the trio’s bedraggled state, sighed relief: “Solved the Three Inch Golden Lotus?”
Li Xiaobai: “Solved it, and casually dealt with another organization’s overseer.”
“Find a place to rest, then proceed; Yue Xing is just a stepping stone, between the stars there are mutually transmitting altars.”
“Good!”
“Very good!”
The four identified a direction, just about to dash, suddenly the space twisted, a massive Spiritual Power Vortex appeared, several young men and women leaped out.
These people walked with confidence, their expressions proud, completely ignoring Li Xiaobai and the others.
“Is this Yue Xing?”
“Did the tribe really send us to this godforsaken place to search for treasure?”
“Couldn’t be they transferred us to the wrong place?”
“There are a few natives here, ask them and we’ll know.”
“Too filthy, I don’t want to talk to the natives.”