Chapter 139: Chapter 131: A Sudden Turn
Longmen Temple has its Seven Treasures, and the Buddha’s Heart Lamp is one of them. Each Buddha Treasure has a special function.
There are also the Seven Treasures Marvelous Skills.
The Celestial Dragon Eight Sounds is one of these, and each Marvelous Skill is just as extraordinary.
In reality, each Marvelous Skill corresponds to one of the Buddha Treasures.
The Celestial Dragon Eight Sounds corresponds to the Three Professions Purification Bell. This Buddha Treasure is located on the back mountain of Longmen Temple and is, in fact, a giant bell. It is rung at a fixed time each day as a warning to the monks.
With the help of the Three Professions Purification Bell, the effects of the Celestial Dragon Eight Sounds would be even greater. However, the bell has never left Longmen Temple since it was forged, so of course, it was impossible for him to obtain it.
’The so-called Celestial Dragon Eight Sounds refers to eight syllables that connect heaven, earth, and the human body. They can cleanse the Divine Soul, the one hundred acupoints, and the bone marrow...’
’When the syllables are intoned, they become the Formless Chanting.’
’This Magic cannot be used to kill enemies. It can only be used to inspect oneself internally, nourish the Divine Soul, and temper the Physical Body. It truly is a Wonderful Dharma.’
’I just don’t know if it’ll be useful to me.’
The Celestial Dragon Eight Sounds, one of Longmen Temple’s Seven Treasures Marvelous Skills, is hailed as the world’s strongest auxiliary Body Tempering Secret Technique. Nothing from the Daoist, Buddhist, or heterodox sects can compare to it.
Even so, according to Yuanding, no one at the Mage Realm had ever cultivated their Physical Body to such a terrifying degree as Zhu Ju.
"Daoist."
As he was lost in thought, a man wearing a Fierce Tiger Mask squatted down in front of his stall.
"Are you the Earth Evil Daoist that the Tomb Immortal mentioned?"
This was the Ghost Market.
Zhu Ju had occupied a burial mound, setting up a stall where a tombstone should have been.
By now, he was a regular at the Ghost Market. He had gained some renown among a certain crowd for being a generous buyer.
He even had his own moniker.
Earth Evil!
Taken from the Earth Evil Mysterious Skill.
"Yes."
Zhu Ju snapped out of his thoughts and nodded at the man, pointing to the "sign" behind him.
"That’s me."
The man followed his finger and saw a couplet written on white cloth, fluttering back and forth in the night wind.
The top scroll read: Seeking Celestial Net Secret Manuals and Earth Net Wonders; I ask not of Righteous or Evil, only of profound fortune.
The bottom scroll read: Accepting Nine-Turn Golden Cores and Five Directions Spirit Marrow; if one can trade Yin and Yang, why fear entanglement with Cause and Effect?
"Heh..."
The man chuckled and shook his head.
"Daoist, you have quite the bold claims!"
"It’s nothing," Zhu Ju said, his voice unchanging.
"As long as the item is good, I will accept anything. The price is negotiable."
"So I’ve heard." The man in the Fierce Tiger Mask sighed.
"The prices you offer are indeed higher than anywhere else. Otherwise, the Tomb Immortal wouldn’t have recommended I come here."
As he spoke, he took out a Secret Manual from his robes.
"This is my ancestral Method, called the Profound Light Technique. It’s an advanced version of the Daoist Sect’s Round Light Technique."
"If I weren’t truly out of options, I wouldn’t be selling it."
"Profound Light Technique?" Zhu Ju’s expression remained impassive as he had the man open it to the first two pages for a quick glance.
He had lost count of how many times he had heard similar sales pitches about "ancestral Methods" being sold out of desperation since he started his stall.
The so-called Round Light Technique was also known as the God-Gazing Technique.
It was a type of Magic that used Divine Soul Power to communicate with the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, projecting distant scenes. One could observe all directions without moving their body.
The stronger one’s Cultivation, the farther one could see.
This Method was of little use to him. After all, he possessed the Soul Control Technique, which allowed him to split off a goshawk to patrol from afar, a method far more covert and natural than the Round Light Technique.
But after looking at it, Zhu Ju’s interest was piqued.
The man’s Profound Light Technique was far more refined than the Round Light Technique. It allowed one to see farther scenes with only a small amount of Magical Power.
Furthermore, it was very secretive and not easily detected. Perhaps it really was an ancestral Secret Technique.
"A decent Method."
After a moment of thought, Zhu Ju spoke.
"How much are you selling it for?"
"First things first, once you buy this Magic, you cannot pass it on to anyone else. You must make a Heart Demon Vow," the man said.
"Then we can talk about the price."
"Heh..." Zhu Ju tossed him a money pouch.
"How much do you want?"
?
The man instinctively opened the pouch, and his eyes lit up. Even his breathing grew ragged.
"Passing it on... isn’t entirely out of the question."
"BANG!"
A dull thud from nearby interrupted their conversation.
"What are you doing?"
A woman dressed in a black robe that covered her completely shrieked at the Daoist in front of her.
"Trying to get rough? This is the Ghost Market!"
"Eh?" The man in the Fierce Tiger Mask saw this and chuckled.
"Looks like there’s a show to watch. Someone actually dares to cause trouble in the Ghost Market. The last time something like this happened was a few years ago. That person was dragged underground, never to be seen again."
Zhu Ju, however, frowned slightly, his gaze flickering.
"Lady Miaoran." A Daoist holding a Duster, with the air of an immortal sage, blocked the woman’s path with a faint smile.
"No need to rush off."
"The Celestial Capital Sect generously guides those with affinity. As long as one meets the requirements and holds the Righteous Dao in their heart, even our Visualization Techniques can be viewed."
He waved his Duster and said unhurriedly,
"But the Magic of forming structures from shadow puppets and creating a house from spirits is never taught to outsiders. Where did you learn it?"
Miaoran?
Zhu Ju’s eyebrow twitched.
’This was the woman who had traded a Ten Thousand Swords Map for Xing Suanzi’s legacy from him. Has the Celestial Capital Sect tracked her down?’
However, among the legacy Xing Suanzi had left behind, there didn’t seem to be a Method for refining the ’Jile Spirit House’.
’Or did I just not discover it?’
"None of your business."
Facing the Daoist’s questioning, Miaoran held her head high.
"Get out of my way!"
She then shouted to the surroundings,
"What are you Evil Guards spacing out for? Can’t you see someone is breaking the rules of the Ghost Market?"
"Daoist Master." An Evil Guard leader stepped forward at the sound of her voice and shouted coldly,
"Combat is forbidden in the Ghost Market. If you two have a conflict, you can settle it after you leave."
"Don’t make us expel you!"
"Hmph!" Miaoran snorted coldly and quietly took two steps back.
"Stinking Daoist, did you see that? This isn’t Tiandu Mountain. We won’t tolerate your insolence. Scram!"
"You actually know that I am from Tiandu Mountain?" The Daoist showed surprise, then nodded lightly.
"In that case, I’m even more curious as to who you are."
As he spoke, he gently waved his Duster. The strands on it grew rapidly, transforming into a large net that shot toward Miaoran.
He actually ignored the Evil Guard beside him and moved to capture her directly.
"SWISH!"
The soft, slender strands, capable of tearing through Skin and Flesh with ease, shredded the Miaoran before them into pieces.
Torn paper flew through the air.
The figure had long since been replaced by a Paperman.
"A Substitute Paperman?"
The Daoist’s eyes narrowed slightly.
"Stealing the Celestial Capital’s secret teachings is a capital crime."
"Girl, I’ll have you know, I am Daoist Bai Zhi, a disciple of a Yanshi, and I am here today to eliminate this treachery."
"BOOM!"
The hairs on the Duster in his hand grew wildly, like a thousand bared fangs and brandished claws, stabbing into the void.
"Ugh!"
With a muffled groan, Miaoran, who had cast a spell to hide herself, was forced out into the open.
"Stop!"
The Evil Guard leader was furious.
"Combat is forbidden in the Ghost Market for everyone!"
He drew the long saber from his waist and charged out with the four Evil Guards beside him, slashing fiercely at the hairs in front of them.
"HSSS..."
The Evil Qi on the Evil Guards had a Breaking Technique effect. Although the hairs were tough, a gap was cut through them, allowing Miaoran to escape.
"Courting death!"
Daoist Bai Zhi’s face darkened. With a flick of his wrist, thousands of hairs shot through the Evil Guards’ bodies.
Then, he yanked.
"SPLAT!"
Including the leader, the bodies of the several Evil Guards disintegrated on the spot, as if diced by countless sharp blades.
The entire place was in an uproar.
No one had expected someone to dare to make a move in the Ghost Market, let alone kill the Evil Guards who maintained its order without any hesitation.
"How dare you!"
A furious roar erupted from a burial mound deep within the Ghost Market, and several dark figures burst from the earth, rushing toward Daoist Bai Zhi.
Reanimated corpses!
Zhu Ju raised his eyebrows.
’No wonder this Great Mage chose the Ten Thousand Burial Ridge to host the Ghost Market. He’s an expert skilled in Corpse Refining.’
"BANG!"
Before the reanimated corpses could arrive, several figures leaped high into the air to meet them.
One of them, an armored giant over two meters tall and wielding a four-foot-long saber, shattered a reanimated corpse with a single strike.
At some unknown time, armored figures had appeared in the Ghost Market. They were scattered among the burial mounds, standing silently and motionlessly.
"Corpse Daoist!"
Tie Yan crushed a reanimated corpse’s head with a stomp of his foot. He pointed his saber toward the depths of the Ghost Market, his voice icy and domineering.
"This is a private matter for the Celestial Capital Sect. Stay out of it!"
"Hmph!"
A cold snort came from the darkness, and then two lanterns appeared from nowhere, slowly floating into the air.
"Arrogant junior! This isn’t Tiandu Mountain, and it’s not a place for you to run wild!"
As the lanterns rose, the entire Ghost Market fell silent.
"The Bone-Illuminating Lamp!"
Someone’s voice trembled.
"It’s been eighteen years. To think this thing would appear in the world again."
The Bone-Illuminating Lamp?
Zhu Ju raised his eyebrows.
He had heard of this item. It used Divine Soul as its flame, bone as its frame, and human skin as its shade. It could see through the Divine Soul and suppress living things.
Its status among the heterodox sects was similar to that of Longmen Temple’s Seven Treasures.
In the hands of a Great Mage, the power of such a Treasure far surpassed that of a Mage.
"OOMMM..."
A silent ripple instantly enveloped the entire Ghost Market.
A red halo cascaded down like wisps of mist, coiling around the Divine Soul of every person present.
Hmph!
Zhu Ju let out a muffled grunt, his eyes narrowing.
He was a Mage with an already powerful Divine Soul, and he even possessed the Purifying Heart Bodhi, yet he could still feel the pressure.
As for the others...
He glanced around.
Everyone else in the Ghost Market had a dazed expression, their heads tilted back as they stared blankly at the Bone-Illuminating Lamps floating in mid-air.
They had all been brought under control.
Even with the home-field advantage, the might of a Great Mage who could suppress all the Magicians in the entire Ghost Market single-handedly was still astounding.
"Under the vast heavens, there is no land that is not the king’s; to the borders of the land, there are no men who are not the king’s subjects," a familiar voice called from the distance.
"Corpse Daoist, are you trying to rebel?"
"Wan Zhengyang!" The Bone-Illuminating Lamps in the air swayed gently.
"What are you doing here?"
Wan Zhengyang!
The General of Yidu.
’What’s he doing here?’
"As a General of the Court, I have a duty to oversee this region." Wan Zhengyang, clad in a red robe, appeared in mid-air and spoke slowly.
"Your Ghost Market has long flouted the Court’s laws, harboring practitioners of the Evil Dao and Demon Cultivators. It is time for a cleanup."
"Or perhaps..."
"Are you planning to fight me?"
The Bone-Illuminating Lamps bobbed up and down in the night wind. For a moment, the Corpse Daoist fell silent.
’So that’s how it is.’
’It seems General Wan has sided with the Court. No wonder the Celestial Capital Sect sent a Great Mage who has a chance of becoming a True Man here.’
’What does that mean?’
Zhu Ju frowned.
’Wan Zhengyang is already a General of the Court, so why say he has ’sided with’ the Court? That doesn’t make sense!’
Wait!
A thought struck Zhu Ju.
It was true that Wan Zhengyang was a General of the Court, but in the Magic World, the Court’s control over local territories was extremely weak.
Yidu wasn’t the Court’s Yidu; it was the Yidu of the City Lord’s Mansion and the Situ Family.
So...
Wan Zhengyang and the Celestial Capital Sect weren’t targeting Ye Baici. They were using her as a pretext to move against the Situ Family. No wonder they had injured Chief Constable Wei Ting.
Yidu,
was about to fall into chaos!
"I need an assurance!" said the Corpse Daoist.
"The Ghost Market will not interfere."
"Since it’s named the Ghost Market, it naturally shouldn’t interfere in the affairs of the living." Hearing this, Wan Zhengyang revealed a satisfied smile.
"After this is over, Daoist, you will be my guest of honor!"
"Fine." The Corpse Daoist’s voice was grim.
"Just don’t kill my disciples."
"Of course."
As their words fell, the two Bone-Illuminating Lamps silently extinguished, disappearing into the darkness.
The Divine Soul Power that had suppressed everyone also dissipated.
"Earth Evil Daoist, do what you will with the Cultivation Technique. This is the price."
The Magician squatting in front of Zhu Ju spoke hurriedly, stuffed the money pouch into his robes, and rushed toward the exit of the Ghost Market.
Zhu Ju flicked his sleeve, packing up his stall, and also dashed for the outside.
Just now, although everyone’s Divine Soul had been suppressed, they had all heard the conversation between Wan Zhengyang and the Corpse Daoist crystal clear.
The Corpse Daoist putting away the Bone-Illuminating Lamps and choosing to back down meant that Wan Zhengyang and the Celestial Capital Sect could now enter the Ghost Market and arrest people at will. It also meant that chaos was imminent.
Leaving,
was the best course of action.
"CLANG CLANG CLANG..."
At some unknown time, the General’s troops had already assembled outside the Ghost Market. The General’s Personal Guard Blood Armor Army had their bows drawn, arrows aimed at the crowd of Magicians.
"Halt!"
"Nobody move!"
