Chapter 141: Gathering of the World’s Heroes
The summer sun in Lingnan was particularly fierce, and at this moment, it was high noon, as if the land was being scorched.
In such scorching weather, unless necessary, no one was willing to go out.
Yet, at this hour, on a small road in the countryside of Lingnan, a shirtless monk was slowly walking with his head lowered.
Although the sunlight was severe, there wasn’t a single bead of sweat on the monk’s body, only the muscles rippling like a giant dragon as he moved.
And on his back, was a huge stone inscribed with scriptures.
This giant stone was a meter square and extremely heavy, and it was firmly bound to the monk’s back with iron chains.
A stone like this, an ordinary person couldn’t even push it, let alone carry it, but the monk bore it as if it weighed nothing.
After turning a corner, there was a small inn by the roadside providing food and lodging for passing vehicles.
Now, at midday, there were few vehicles on the road, and the innkeeper’s wife was dozing off against the wall.
The monk looked up and slowly walked in.
The innkeeper’s wife woke up with a start, quickly standing up to greet him, “Welcome, would you like to eat something…?”
Only then did she get a clear look at the visitor and couldn’t help but stare in amazement.
“Master… what would you like to have?”
The people of Lingnan were simple and courteous, especially towards those who had taken holy orders.
Hui Nian smiled faintly, “Anything will do, but make sure there is plenty.”
The innkeeper’s wife looked at the giant stone on Hui Nian’s back with a mix of awe and respect, then nodded, “Please wait a moment, Master, I will check in the kitchen!”
Having said that, she turned and went to the back, but after a little while, she returned looking somewhat embarrassed.
“Master, I am truly sorry, there’s not much in the way of steamed buns and vegetables, only a freshly delivered slaughtered sheep…”
The innkeeper’s wife dared not finish her sentence, for what monk would eat meat?
But Hui Nian nodded, “Good, I’ll have the mutton then, bring it all out!”
The innkeeper’s wife was stunned, “Would you like it boiled? Or roasted?”
Hui Nian shook his head, revealing teeth tightly aligned as if a single entity, “No need, raw will do!”
The innkeeper’s wife, horrified, went down, and after a while, she brought up a whole slaughtered sheep.
Hui Nian didn’t sit down; he just stood there and began eating the raw meat piece by piece.
He ate slowly, chewing each bite until it was very fine before he was willing to swallow it.
The innkeeper had also heard the news and came over, he and his wife watched in utter astonishment.
After half an hour, Hui Nian had eaten the entire sheep.
He then brought his hands together, smiled slightly, and said, “Thank you for your kindness.”
After saying that, he took out money and left it on the table and continued on his journey.
The innkeeper seemed to remember something, grabbed the money from the table, and followed him out.
“Master, please wait! We do not want this money, consider it an offering to you!”
Hui Nian did not turn back, simply saying indifferently, “I am not a Zen monk, I only create karma through killing; no need for offerings, please return!”
The innkeeper still wanted to pursue him, but in the blink of an eye, Hui Nian had already walked far away.
As dusk approached.
Hui Nian finally arrived in Lingnan City.
From Bitter Zen Temple to Lingnan, a distance spanning the entirety of Huaxia, Hui Nian had covered it all on foot, step by step.
He raised his head to look at the bustling city, a flicker of strangeness flashing across his eyes.
“There’s the aura of a fox demon, have people from Lingying Palace already arrived?”
“There are also ghosts and goblins from Night Demon Valley, and it’s mixed with the Qi Cultivation Art of the Yuan Family; it seems that people from Night Demon Valley and the Yuan Family of Jibei have also come!”
Hui Nian slowly closed his eyes and began to search Lingnan with his Divine Sense.
Bitter Zen Temple has a long history and was once exceedingly glorious, thanks to its extremely strong body-refinement techniques and formidable mental cultivation.
Even though it fell into decline later on, Hui Nian still achieved the cultivation level of a Loose Immortal, possessing an extremely strong Divine Sense.
In Hui Nian’s Divine Sense, all the ordinary people of Lingnan turned into tiny flames, barely bigger than a candlelight.
And in this sea of lights that resembled a starry sky, there were also vigorously burning fires, like torches; these were the ordinary martial cultivators.
Others were like bonfires, burning fiercely, but there were far fewer of those, likely true masters or powerful practitioners from Xiaoyao.
Beyond that, there were some giant fires that could burn dozens of meters high, and among them, Hui Nian felt many familiar auras.
However, among these, two piles of fire emanating a chilling Sword Intent seemed somewhat withered.
A thought flashed through Hui Nian’s mind; it seemed the rumors were true, the Yu Family of Lingnan had indeed suffered a great blow.
Was the person who annihilated Yu Yuanyi still in Lingnan?
Hui Nian continued searching.
At this moment, Xue An, standing in front of Rain God Temple, suddenly frowned.
He felt that a Divine Sense had just swept past.
This Divine Sense also carried a tinge of mad Zen intent.
Xue An’s gaze turned slightly cold, and then he looked towards the east.
At the place his gaze fell, it seemed something in the air shattered with a bang.
At the same time, Hui Nian, who was searching Lingnan with his Divine Sense while having his eyes closed, suddenly felt as if a pair of eyes had fiercely opened, and the look in those eyes was filled with a chilling murderous intent.
And all of his Mental Power was simultaneously crushed at that moment.
With a gasp, Hui Nian spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, then opened his eyes to reveal a hint of panic that flickered across his usually impassive face.
Who was it?
Who could shatter his Divine Sense with just a glance?
“Mr. Xue, what’s wrong?” Shi Xueqing approached.
She too had vaguely sensed that something was amiss, but her cultivation level was not enough to see through it.
Xue An shook his head slightly, “Nothing, I just destroyed a peeping Divine Sense.”
Shi Xueqing’s heart tightened. This kind of struggle on the level of Divine Sense was extremely dangerous, but Xue An spoke of it so casually.
At this point, Xue An said faintly, “Many powerful auras have already entered Lingnan; it seems the world’s top experts have all arrived!”
Sure enough, as Xue An spoke, another motorcade slowly made its way into Lingnan.
Shu Ying’er toyed with the beads in her hands, glanced at the bustling scenery outside the car window, and a faint look of disdain flashed across her exquisite face.
The Immortal Gate conference, huh!
Last time I suffered an unfortunate defeat, but this time, I must take back everything that belongs to me!
As these formidable auras entered, the divine statue in the Rain God Temple seemed to tremble slightly.
At this moment, Xue An was leading Yu Ran into the great hall just in time.
This Immortal Gate conference was being held at Fulong Mountain in front of Rain God Temple. Yu Ran, worried, decided to come and check it out, and Xue An had come along.
He looked up at the divine statue.
Under his gaze, the statue seemed to tremble with fear.
Xue An shook his head and chuckled, “No need to be afraid. Since he entrusted you to me before dying, I will make sure you are well protected. With the gathering of the world’s hidden dragons and crouching tigers, it is natural for you, a newly enshrined god, to be scared!”
With that said, Xue An formed his fingers into a sword and, with a light shout, cleaved with his sword.
Boom.
Something seemed to have been added to the divine statue.
Xue An said indifferently, “He’s dead, and the Sword Intent that protected you has dissipated. This time, I will bestow upon you a new Sword Intent!”