Chapter 506: The Grand Showdown (2)
The Price of Victory
Some things are best not thought about; thinking about them just causes pain.
A number of the older Daoist priests closed their eyes, choosing not to see, not to think, and not to listen.
The Golden Body Spell on Niu Changgeng was cast by someone else, not by his own cultivation, which clearly violated the principle of fairness in the match. However, outsiders were unaware of the subtlety and thus couldn't speak up. The Daoist members who knew had to choose silence for the sake of victory.
The atmosphere became very strange.
One side was marveling at the exquisite Daoist sorcery, while the other wore grim, lifeless expressions.
In a corner, a member of the Special Affairs Department, ordered to observe the match, couldn't help but say,
"That looks like the Golden Body Spell."
The person next to him replied, "It's not 'looks like,' it is. The Golden Body Spell is an enhancement technique. It's based on the recipient's physical conditioning; the stronger the body, the greater the enhancement, even reaching a state of invulnerability to blades and bullets. However, the Golden Body Spell is extremely high-level. It's impossible for that large man to cast it with his level of cultivation."
"Are you saying the Daoist sect is cheating?"
"What else?"
"Enough."
The middle-aged leader raised his hand to quiet them. "We are here to observe the match. Do not say a single extra word."
Jiu didn't perceive anything amiss. Seeing the opponent ready, he immediately charged forward. Internal energy overflowed from his body and gathered in his right hand. When he was five meters away, he suddenly clapped his hands.
An invisible blast of force rushed through the air and struck Niu Changgeng's chest.
Clang!
A sound like clashing metal rang out in the air.
Niu Changgeng pounded his chest and laughed loudly.
"Put some effort into it! That's not enough to scratch your granddaddy."
Jiu suddenly exploded. In a flash, his speed more than doubled. A dark shadow zipped past.
Oww!
Accompanied by a tiger roar, a red aura, like a blast of air current, washed outwards. Niu Changgeng's glittering golden face turned purplish-red. He covered his stomach with both hands, stumbling back until he stopped right at the edge of the platform.
An old Daoist priest roared,
"Niu Changgeng, if you dare to embarrass me, I'll beat you to death myself!"
Niu Changgeng grimaced. Feeling the sharp pain in his abdomen, he silently cursed his bad luck. The Golden Body Spell could increase physical strength but not speed. He was chosen to fight precisely to take a beating, to use the fight to deplete the opponent's energy and prepare for the next match.
With this thought, he shook his head helplessly, rubbed his stomach, and said nonchalantly,
"Come on, hit me harder."
The scene that followed was difficult to watch. Although Niu Changgeng was tall and strong, he was disadvantaged in speed and strength. Jiu pressed him relentlessly. He initially tried to resist but gave up when it proved ineffective, protecting his vital areas and allowing his opponent to attack freely.
It had to be said that the Golden Body Spell was indeed powerful. He lasted a full twenty minutes before the golden light slowly dissipated.
Niu Changgeng unhesitatingly raised his hand to surrender, then scrambled off the platform. His pathetic appearance caused the onlookers to burst into laughter.
The Daoist members' faces were gloomy, but seeing the sweat on Jiu's face, they ultimately said nothing. The purpose of the first match was attrition. Although Niu Changgeng made a fool of himself, he completed his mission well.
The Terrifying Demon Art
Soon, the second match began.
A seemingly gentle, handsome young Daoist and a mysterious figure with a black hood and stiff limbs walked onto the platform. Derek said unhappily,
"We agreed on a relay match. What? Are you going back on your word?"
The old Daoist priest nearby retorted coldly,
"Daoist sorcery is divided into dozens of schools. Ghost Taming is one of them."
"Ghost?"
Derek was puzzled; he didn't understand the meaning of that statement.
The young Daoist smiled shyly, seemingly uncomfortable with the occasion. After introducing himself, he tore off the mysterious figure's hood.
Whoosh!
The surroundings erupted in an uproar. The face beneath the hood was not that of a normal person but a terrifying Zombie with a blue face and sharp fangs.
Linda's eyes widened. She tugged at Luke and asked,
"What is that thing? Is it a demon?"
"It's a Zombie, a dark creature belonging to a different mythological system, like the European vampire."
"Is it strong?"
"A creature resulting from flesh mutation. Its strength is limited."
"Oh!"
The girl was instantly disappointed, having expected it to be much stronger.
An elder from the martial arts world shouted angrily, "You Daoist priests are going too far! A martial arts match is a martial arts match! Using a Zombie as a filler? What kind of contest is this?"
The middle-aged Daoist priest countered,
"A Zombie is not a person; it is merely a weapon. Ghost Taming school relies on ghosts and spirits for combat, just as you use your fists to fight. There is no fundamental difference."
"That's just sophistry!"
The middle-aged priest snorted and ignored him.
Derek was undecided and had to run over to Luke.
"Young Master, what should we do? Fight or not?"
"Keep fighting."
"Alright!"
Derek returned to his spot. After a brief exchange, the match officially began.
Jiu's eyes were fierce, fixed intently on the Zombie, completely disregarding the young Daoist to the side. The young Daoist wisely retreated, as his ownership of the Zombie didn't mean he could perfectly control it.
The Zombie also sensed the hostility ahead, opening its eyes to reveal pure black pupils.
Its eyes were purely black, devoid of any light, giving off a chilling and terrifying sensation.
The air became extremely quiet.
Legends of the Zombie had circulated in China for a long time, but no one had actually seen one. Today was a first.
Luke also showed curiosity, silently deciding that after the match, he had to acquire the Zombie. It was valuable for both research and collection.
Just then, a tiger roar exploded.
Jiu tensed his body, blood-red light filled his eyes, and internal energy overflowed from his acupoints, surrounding him and forming the blood-colored, mottled shadow of a tiger phantom.
The ferocious tiger emerged from the mountain, its killing intent boiling.
Icy killing intent rampaged around, terrifying the onlookers, who trembled and turned pale. A few timid individuals even squeezed their legs shut.
"This is the Tiger Fiend Scripture!"
"It's as terrifying as the rumors say."
A few elders muttered to themselves, their eyes filled with admiration and yearning. The rest tried to steady their emotions while staring intently at the boy on the platform. The boy, encased in the blood-red tiger phantom, exuded a savage and tyrannical aura, feeling like an encounter with a ferocious tiger from the mountains.
An ordinary person wouldn't dare to even look him in the eye, let alone fight.
"Senior Brother Zhao, is that it?"
The Daoist priest surnamed Zhao nodded, sighing. "I didn't expect that after so many years, someone would actually master this Demonic Art."
"Demonic Art?"
The young Daoist asked, confused. "Why is it called a Demonic Art?"
"The Tiger Fiend Scripture primarily cultivates killing intent. The deeper one cultivates, the stronger the bloodlust becomes. Eventually, the practitioner will devolve into a fiend that knows only slaughter." He paused, sighing, "Over four hundred years ago, someone mastered this technique. That person was arrogant, believing they could control the path of slaughter and use it to shed their mortal coil. Yet, in the end, they were consumed by the 'Tiger Fiend.' To stop the carnage, the major schools of the Daoist sect gathered nearly a hundred masters to pursue and intercept him, suffering fifty percent casualties before finally destroying him."
The young Daoist murmured, "The Tiger Fiend Scripture is that powerful?"
The Daoist priest surnamed Zhao stroked his beard.
"It truly has its unique aspects. In some ways, it even surpasses the Heavenly Master's Strategy. However, it is a Demonic Path technique."
The young Daoist looked thoughtful, and the others also showed varied emotions.
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MistaQuartz
On Patreon, you can explore Extra Chapters in advance!