Chapter 89 The Shrine of Horror
"Oh, you've returned from the temple? It's the first time I've seen someone come back alive," the dragon woman remarked.
"I conquered the temple. It's quite an impossibility, but I managed to do it," Long Tian declared.
"I suspected as much. I saw the signs when I first laid eyes on you," the dragon woman replied, a smile etched on her face.
"Anyway, what reward do you have for me?" Long Tian inquired suddenly.
The dragon woman smiled and beckoned, saying, "Come closer."
Long Tian approached, and suddenly, she grabbed his head and kissed him on the lips.
Long Tian was taken aback; he hadn't expected to receive a kiss. They kissed for a few moments, and then the dragon woman released him.
"Is that the reward?" Long Tian asked, raising an eyebrow.
"The kiss is a bonus. What I'm giving you is the Heavenly Dragon's Charm. I won't tell you its benefits; you'll discover them over time," the dragon woman replied, a smile gracing her feature.
"I see. Thank you then," Long Tian said sincerely.
After discussing various aspects of this world and his experiences inside the Dragon Temple, Long Tian re-entered the portal, flying back to his own world.
A few seconds later, the portal expanded, and he successfully emerged from the realm of the dragons.
The first thing he saw was several people waiting for him in the room.
"Long Tian, you've returned successfully!" Long Gongyu, the Great Elder exclaimed in joy.
Several other Elders immediately approached him, checking his condition and the state of his body.
"You're alright, aren't you?" Long Gongyu asked.
"I'm fine, Elder Gongyu. In fact, I gained some valuable things inside the realm of the dragons," Long Tian replied.
"Oh, thank goodness. In previous years, the winners of the annual competition always returned unconscious, and they didn't remember what happened. Fortunately, you're different," Long Gongyu said with relief.
Hearing this, Long Tian understood. It might be due to the aura pressure from the dragon woman. This explained why the Long family talents who entered the realm of the dragons often wasted the opportunity.
"Alright, Elder Gongyu, I'm a bit tired. So, allow me to take a bath, and maybe I'll go to the heritage room afterward," Long Tian said.
"Yes, of course. Clean up and make yourself comfortable," Long Gongyu responded.
With that, Long Tian left the room and headed to his own residence.
****************
The shower droplets soaked his entire body, providing a feeling of calm and freshness. Bathed in that sense of tranquility, he suddenly thought about the realm of the dragons.
Its origins were unknown, even in the original plot. It's unclear whether it's in the upper realm or something else entirely, or perhaps it's a hidden realm. Although it wasn't explained in the original plot, he had read novels about hidden realms and speculated about its origins.
After a few moments, Long Tian finished his shower and examined himself in front of the mirror.
He touched his arms; honestly, the tattoos made his appearance more appealing, complementing his muscles.
He possessed the mesomorph genes, making it easy for him to develop muscles, but he didn't look overly muscular; it was more balanced.
Long Tian ran his hand through his hair; it had grown longer, reaching his shoulders. "Too long; perhaps I'll visit a barber today," he said.
With that, he left the bathroom.
****************
Currently, Long Tian was dressed casually, walking alongside Long Gongyu toward the heritage room.
Opening the door, he saw a grand room with many bookshelves containing thousands of books. There were also thousands of neatly arranged weapons.
This was the heritage room, where he could choose one technique or weapon.
"I'll give you the freedom to choose," Long Gongyu said.
Long Tian nodded and began searching for a powerful technique. He didn't intend to look for weapons because he knew about a powerful weapon in the original plot, and he would obtain it.
After a few moments of searching, Long Tian's interest was drawn to a thin book with the inscription: Full Counter.
He opened the book and read its description; it explained a technique that could counter someone's attacks, becoming more potent with mastery.
It looked powerful, so he took it immediately and walked toward Long Gongyu.
"I've found what I want, Elder Gongyu," he said.
Seeing the book Long Tian held, Long Gongyu became interested. "The Full Counter technique, huh? That is indeed a powerful and deadly technique. With your talent, you should have no problem mastering it," he said.
"Well, this place stores many powerful techniques, but my interest was solely on this one," Long Tian responded.
Long Gongyu nodded, and then the two of them left the room.
Long Tian didn't plan to stay in the Long family's residence any longer. After bidding farewell, he immediately left and returned to his villa.
***************
In the Feixiang Forest of Tianzhou, two days had swiftly passed. During this time, Long Tian had dedicated himself to cultivating, diligently depleting the stash of high-level spiritual stones he'd earned from his victory in the Long family's annual competition.
Out of the 1500 stones, he'd merely expended 300, maintaining his cultivation at the fifth stage of Flowing Qi, but teetering on the brink of advancement to the sixth stage.
Somewhat after his two-week unconsciousness, the amount of Reiki required for each stage's breakthrough had doubled. Consequently, his power had surged, enabling him to confront cultivators in the nascent soul realm at his current level.
And in these two days, his appearance had changed drastically. His long hair had disappeared, replaced by short hair with an undercut style. His arms, adorned with tattoos, added a distinctive edge to his new look.
In this moment, Shen Yulan emerged from the jade. "What are you searching for?" she inquired.
"A shrine," Long Tian replied.
"Would you like my assistance?" Shen Yulan suggested.
"Sure," Long Tian agreed.
"Very well," Shen Yulan nodded, then ascended, scanning the entirety of the forest.
After a brief moment, she returned, revealing, "This isn't an ordinary forest; it's riddled with illusions. By day or evening, the effects might be subtle, but during the night, it transforms dramatically."
"That's why I came during daylight hours. Did you find anything?" Long Tian inquired.
"Yes, I observed a cluster of trees and bushes that, from a distance, resembled a path. Follow my lead," Shen Yulan instructed.
Guided by her, Long Tian ventured toward the location she had indicated, tracking her every move.
As he approached, he indeed spotted a congregation of trees that gave the illusion of a path. When viewed from a different angle, it merely appeared as an ordinary thicket.
He proceeded forward, and suddenly, he was upon a staircase ascending skyward.
He blinked, rubbing his eyes to verify that he wasn't mistaken. To his astonishment, the staircase persisted.
"At the culmination of this path, I sense some auras. It may be what you seek," Shen Yulan reported.
Long Tian nodded and promptly ascended.
With each step, he ascended the staircase, leading him to a shrine where nine masked individuals loomed outside.
Long Tian stood frozen, his gaze locked onto the gruesome tableau before him, with Shen Yulan sharing his horror.
Before them, the nine figures methodically dismembered the bodies of children, some body parts strewn across tables. More grotesque still, some of them engaged in acts of raping.
Long Tian's eyes simmered with fury.
"Long Tian, you must kill them all!" Shen Yulan implored.
"Fear not," Long Tian responded, his tone cold, as he advanced toward them.
Meanwhile, the masked figures had become aware of Long Tian's presence.
"Hey, there's someone here; what shall we do?"
"He's witnessed our ritual; he must be sacrificed as well."
"Very well, let's kill him."
Their conversation culminated in a unanimous decision to kill Long Tian. One of them seized a butcher's cleaver and charged toward him.
He brandished the cleaver, ready to strike Long Tian. However, Long Tian suddenly seized his arm, breaking it with an audible snap!
Undeterred, Long Tian also crushed the man's throat, eliciting a sickening "crack" sound.
The man's expression remained concealed by his mask, but beneath it, his countenance registered disbelief.
At that moment, Long Tian jerked the man's arm and neck upwards, rending them apart and leaving his body in two pieces.
He collapsed lifeless onto the ground.
The remaining eight individuals stared in shock at the gruesome tableau before them.
"H-He's no ordinary human; attack him together!" one of them exclaimed.
"Attack!" they all shouted, charging at Long Tian.
Long Tian appeared composed; he retrieved the cleaver from the ground and braced for battle. Shen Yulan also materialized, floating toward their adversaries.
In her spectral form, she infiltrated the gaps in their masks and entered one man's mouth. In the blink of an eye, his body exploded into a torrent of blood.
The other seven were momentarily shocked, affording Long Tian the opportunity to strike. He moved with the swiftness of lightning, appearing before one of them and severing both of his arms. He repeated this with another of the assailants.
Swiftly, he advanced on the remaining masked figures, relentlessly slashing at them with the cleaver.
Their cries and pleas filled the air. There was no mercy in Long Tian's demeanor as he ruthlessly dispatched them all.
Nine masked individuals, all slain, their limbs scattered.
Long Tian stood amidst the aftermath, his wrath undiminished.
In the original storyline, Qin Chen had also stumbled upon this appalling scene and reacted with intense fury, executing these masked individuals. Moreover, their deeds were unspeakably atrocious, as they subscribed to a belief that compelled them to craft lanterns for release at midnight every month. However, these were no ordinary lanterns; they were fashioned from human bodies, with children chosen as the ideal victims due to their slight build.
Long Tian entered the shrine. Once inside, he was greeted by an even grimmer spectacle. The shrine harbored numerous human body parts, some suspended from the ceiling.
His visage conveyed his seething outrage.
"Destroy this cursed place, Long Tian," Shen Yulan suddenly urged, her wrath palpable in her voice.
"I understand," Long Tian nodded.
With that, he exited the shrine. His mouth bulged as he exhaled a fiery breath, engulfing the shrine in flames and reducing it to ashes.
The conflagration consumed the entire structure, causing it to crumble into ruins.
After a short passage of time, he waved his hand, prompting a strong gust of wind to carry the ashes and embers into the heavens.
The shrine that once stood there had now vanished. Amidst the remnants, something gleamed. Long Tian approached, discovering a gleaming katana.
He retrieved the weapon and scrutinized it. He recognized this katana; it was known as the Uchigatana, a blade that had been stolen from China thousands of years ago. It had been concealed beneath this very shrine.
Long Tian conducted a series of tests with the katana, evaluating its balance and utility. He was quite satisfied with its handle, appearance, and performance.
The katana boasted an impressive aesthetic, featuring wave-like engravings along the blade's surface, while the handle adhered to the distinctive style of a Japanese imperial katana.
This was a weapon that should have rightfully belonged to Qin Chen, yet it was now in Long Tian's possession.
"I've acquired what I sought; let's depart from this place."
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