Chapter 108: Hell's Flower Blooms, Demon Ox: Lawless Madman

Chapter 108: Hell's Flower Blooms, Demon Ox: Lawless Madman

The spring breeze howls, suddenly turning fierce, as if there's an air current shooting out, causing the willow trees lining the streets to sway.

Li Che puts on the long-missed Demon Ox mask, his muscles crackling and popping, with nine thick tendons writhing and roaring, as if a demon serpent is trying to break free from beneath his tough skin.

Stepping out of the alley, Li Che raises his head, his eyes beneath the mask shining brightly.

"Million Gambling House... One of the three major factions in Golden Light City, the Fishing Gang's influence, and the Black Snake Gang that has been tailing my family in Listening Flower Alley, all share the same origin."

Li Che activates the Lion Elephant Vajra, his physical body towering and robust, but he's only activated the first state, and already his stature is imposing and oppressive.

His powerful blood energy almost turns into clouds, condensing around him like a cloud of silk.

However, with such dominant blood energy and aura, using the Sleeping Dragon Elephant technique to conceal it is like erasing his presence from the mortal realm.

Even the divine awareness of a Divine Appearance cultivator would find it difficult to detect his location.

It's as if he has completely shielded his existence.

"But, the divine awareness of a Divine Appearance cultivator can actually sense something amiss, so they repeatedly sweep the area, but can't pinpoint the problem..."

"If we were within ten zhang of each other, my breath-control ability would be immediately seen through."

"This shows that my Sleeping Dragon Elephant technique is not yet perfect..."

Li Che wears the Demon Ox mask, gazing at the distant Million Gambling House, his eyes calm and unmoved.

On the long street, pedestrians rush by, each with a hurried expression. Many gamblers exit the gambling house, while new ones, having gathered gambling funds from who knows where, step through the nearly threshold-less entrance of the gambling house, filled with hope.

"Corpse Deity Sect..."

A flash of severity passes through Li Che's eyes.

He has no good feelings towards this sect, as the Spirit Infants Sect was created and branched out from the Corpse Deity Sect.

The Thousand Infants Sacrifice is the chaos and temptation they have stirred up!

The reason Cao Guang wanted to sacrifice the entire Thunder City was because the Corpse Deity Sect was pushing them from behind.

"Are there people from the Corpse Deity Sect in the Million Gambling House? Or... is the Fishing Gang the Corpse Deity Sect's influence in Golden Light City?"

"Does the Temple Enforcement Command know?"

"Do the Golden Light City Divine Guards know?"

Li Che mutters to himself.

They probably know, but there must be a reason why they're not taking action, perhaps to lure in a big fish, or maybe they're afraid of alerting the enemy...

After all, according to the rumors Li Che has heard, the Corpse Deity Sect has already conquered several prefecture cities and occupied a state as their base.

While sending their elite members to attack the Great Jing Divine Capital Region, they have also dispersed their forces to the many prefectures under the eleven paths of Great Jing.

Under the secret instigation of the Corpse Deity Sect, many areas have already seen armed forces rise in rebellion...

The Corpse Deity Sect is truly a formidable force, posing an extremely terrifying threat.

Therefore, it's impossible for the Golden Light City forces to be unaware of the Corpse Deity Sect's presence.

It's likely they're trying to lure in a big fish.

"But... what does this have to do with my Demon Ox?"

You all know the Corpse Deity Sect is gathering strength in Golden Light City, so why aren't you taking action?

Letting my daughter be targeted... and possibly killed?

Alerting the enemy?

But the Corpse Deity Sect is already moving against his family, against his daughter.

Li Che can't imagine what kind of fate his beloved and lively Xi Xi would face if she fell into the hands of the Corpse Deity Sect.

He dares not think about it, doesn't want to think about it. As a father, he should shield his daughter from all dangers.

Let the old man handle the killing.

The bigger picture...

He, Li Che, is just an ordinary father.

In front of his daughter, no grand strategy can outweigh her life!

Li Che closes his eyes, and when he opens them again, a fierce aura surges like raging waves, his face hidden by the mask, as if releasing a second personality within!

He exhales, the sound muffled like thunder.

Li Che strides down the long street, his black robe fluttering in the spring breeze.

On both sides, pedestrians hurry by, but it's as if no one notices his towering, mountain-like stature, or senses his presence.

Under the Sleeping Dragon Elephant technique, he's isolated from the world.

The Demon Ox's robust body strides across the threshold of the Million Gambling House.

However, once inside, Li Che gently lifts his hat, and the fierce gaze beneath the mask scans the area, his powerful heart beating.

The Chess Sage's Dao fruit pulses, and the Heaven and Earth Chessboard slowly unfolds in his eyes.

Then, the Demon Ox's figure disappears into the darkness, silently making his way deeper into the gambling house.

...

...

Boom!

A muffled thunderclap rumbles as lightning snakes through the dark clouds, and a fierce wind howls!

Million Gambling House.

Backyard.

In the spacious backyard, dozens of robust warriors gather densely, all having achieved the Great Jing Connecting Meridian Technique, reaching the level of interconnected meridians.

Their powerful blood energy intertwines, like a blazing furnace, causing the temperature in the yard to rise by several degrees.

At the front of the yard stands a robust middle-aged man with a fierce beard, wearing a black robe, his muscular body stretching the black garment tightly, outlining his muscular physique.

His narrow eyes exude a sharp gaze, like that of a venomous snake.

This man is none other than the second-in-command of the Million Gambling House, Lin Da.

His sharp gaze carries a hint of liveliness, and although his body is robust and sturdy, he seems like a venomous snake spitting poison.

Lin Da, a Divine Vein Warrior, had reached the Initial Divine Foundation in his Divine Essence. His innate talent in the realm of Divinity was limited, and the Initial Divine Foundation... was as far as he could go.

In other small cities, Lin Da's strength would be enough to look down upon others, making him the patriarch of a prominent family.

But in the powerful Golden Light City, he could only be the second-in-command of the lower-tier forces like the Million Gambling House, a subsidiary of the Fishing Gang.

"Divine Envoy, the task you assigned has been successfully completed. That Li Zheng Ran... has been marked with the Corpse Curse Seal. If necessary, it can be activated at the right moment, turning him into an obedient 'Cursed Corpse'."

Beside Lin Da stood a figure shrouded in a white robe and hood, wearing a mask.

It was a mask made of smooth white Spirit Wood, with only two dark eye holes.

Blood-red ink on the mask formed a huge 'ten' character.

It seemed as if the mask would be cut into four pieces by the cross.

Lin Da was quite respectful, even fearful, of this Corpse God Envoy.

"Well done," a faint voice sounded from beneath the white mask of the Corpse God Envoy.

Lin Da was overjoyed, rubbing his hands together, "It's our honor to serve the Corpse God Sect..."

"The plan our branch set in Thunder City has failed."

"Sacrificing the entire Thunder City in a ritual to invoke the power of the Temple Deity and refine a 'Cursed Bronze Corpse' was unsuccessful... It was ruined by a guy named 'Demon Ox'."

"This Demon Ox... his identity remains unknown, but we have some guesses."

"In Thunder City, an 'Eight Extremes Corpse Curse Seal' went missing... Elder Yuan speculated that the precious Eight Extremes Corpse Curse Seal was meant to mark the top-grade Spirit Child Li Nuoxi, but it was intercepted."

"The one who intercepted the Eight Extremes Corpse Curse Seal should be the Demon Ox."

"Since they couldn't erase the Corpse Curse, they could only suppress it to conceal the aura of the Corpse Curse Seal."

"This Demon Ox is fearless, daring to take the Eight Extremes Corpse Curse Seal. They'll pay for it sooner or later!"

"Zhang Xiangyang said that the Demon Ox is likely Li Nuoxi's master. If that's the case, we should start with Li Nuoxi."

"A top-grade Spirit Child..."

Under the mask, a faint light flickered.

"Li Zheng Ran is Li Che's cousin, and he has the opportunity to come into contact with Li Nuoxi. As soon as they touch, the Corpse Curse Seal will transfer to the top-grade Spirit Child..."

"If Li Nuoxi is in trouble, the Demon Ox... won't be able to hide anymore."

The voice carried a confident and mocking laughter, as if everything was under control.

But Lin Da's hair stood on end, and a chill ran through his body. The Corpse Curse Seal... could be transferred just by touching it? The Corpse God Sect's methods were indeed terrifying! Moreover, their infiltration of Golden Light City was faster than he had imagined.

That Corpse Curse Seal...

Lin Da's heart sank as he felt the small seal within his Niwan Inner Realm, like the roots of an old tree, constantly growing hideous tendrils that absorbed his Divinity and devoured his vitality...

Lin Da felt a chill.

"Don't worry, if you perform well, you can obtain a 'Ten Capital Cities Corpse God Statue' carved by our sect's master woodcarver. The Corpse God Statue can help you extract the Corpse Qi from the Corpse Curse Seal, and you won't have to worry about Corpse Transformation."

The Corpse God Envoy seemed to understand Lin Da's concerns and reassured him.

"Furthermore, the Corpse God Seal can enhance your cultivation talent. Your Divine Essence, which is stuck at the Initial Divine Foundation, can be improved."

"Even your physical body can be nourished by the Corpse Curse Seal, becoming stronger, and in the future, you may even break through the Divine Vein and achieve the realm of an Essence Energy Master."

The Corpse God Envoy's voice carried a hint of persuasion.

"Look at them, they were only at the Sinew Opening stage, but after obtaining the 'Ten Capital Cities Corpse Curse Seal', they all advanced to the Unclogged Meridians stage, and in the future... they might even reach the Divine Vein!"

"Don't you crave this power that can help you break through your limits?"

Lin Da's initial worries dissipated, and he became a little fanatical.

Below, in the courtyard, the Unclogged Meridians stage warriors had eyes filled with excitement.

Lin Da's body trembled slightly.

Because what was before him was the best proof.

The Corpse God Sect's rise, like a spreading star, had caused great trouble for the vast Da Jing Dynasty, and it was undoubtedly extraordinary.

It was rumored that the powerful Prince Hime Mary personally went to suppress the Corpse God Sect, but even he failed.

If Lin Da could rise through the ranks of the Corpse God Sect...

"By the way, Divine Envoy, aren't we afraid of the Divine Sect Branch's cleansing?"

The Corpse God Envoy calmly replied, "The waters here are deep, don't ask further."

Lin Da's eyes narrowed, and he dared not inquire further.

Suddenly, the Corpse God Envoy, wearing the white mask, turned his head sharply towards a direction.

"What is that?"

Huh?!

Clap!

Unexpectedly, from the corner, a palm-sized black object fell, following a parabolic arc.

The Corpse God Envoy's gaze instantly locked onto it, and he was slightly taken aback. It was a... Spirit Wood-carved crow, somewhat comical.

A crow?

Bad!

The dark eye holes of the Corpse God Envoy's mask suddenly emitted a dazzling and eye-catching crimson beam!

Boom!!!

The next moment, accompanied by a howling gust, the wooden crow shattered into four pieces, and dense dust rose into the air.

Dust particles went wild in the raging airflow, enveloping the entire courtyard!

Visibility instantly plummeted.

The Corpse God Envoy's toes touched the ground, and his white robe suddenly billowed, with a faint glow emanating from beneath his mask. He was about to summon his Divine Foundation!

However...

Where was his Divine Foundation?!

Not only the Corpse God Envoy but also the second-in-command of the Million Gambling House, Lin Da, experienced the same.

His face twitched violently, filled with horror.

Damn...

Where was his Divine Foundation?!

"This..."

"Divinity Crystal powder?"

The Corpse God Envoy from the Corpse God Sect reacted, his blood and energy erupting as he attempted to disperse the Divinity Crystal powder!

These lime-like Divinity Crystal particles could affect Divinity, hindering its operation and making it difficult to activate!

What a sinister method!

However, the next moment, he felt an overwhelming oppressive force like a collapsing mountain, suffocating him as if his throat were tightly gripped!

Unbeknownst to them, a towering figure appeared at the courtyard entrance, wearing a cute bull mask that looked eerily demonic amidst the hazy Divinity Crystal powder.

Boom, boom, boom—

Like muffled thunder, accompanied by a buzzing sound.

The Bull Demon's body expanded continuously!

[Lion Elephant Vajra]...

Wrathful Vajra!

Breaking free from shackles!

Intense blood and energy seemed to swirl around his body like coiling dragons.

Beneath the mask, his eyes showed no joy or sorrow, devoid of any emotional fluctuations!

"Bull Demon—!"

The Corpse God Envoy's eyes narrowed, and his voice thundered.

"Stop him!"

He wanted to disperse the Divinity Crystal powder to restore his Divinity and unleash his power.

Could the Divinity Crystal powder have such an effect?

This Bull Demon... was as treacherous and sinister as the rumors claimed, lacking any heroic demeanor!

Boom!!!

But just as he finished shouting, the courtyard ground shook violently. With a single step, the Bull Demon shattered the green bricks, causing them to explode and the ground to cave in!

It was as if a blood-red wrathful dragon was swiftly swooping down, shattering the very air in its path!

A brutal, frenzied, and unrestrained killing intent permeated the courtyard.

Without any disguise!

Boom, boom, boom, boom!

The Bull Demon's physical prowess was unmatched. Beneath his towering two-meter frame, his muscles, coiled like serpentine steel, contained a devastating force.

Several blood mists exploded, and multiple bodies were launched like cannonballs.

These were the warriors in the courtyard attempting to block the Bull Demon, each displaying their martial arts and roaring to stop him.

However, they couldn't keep up with the Bull Demon's speed. A terrifying and oppressive Divine Aura even hindered their ability to circulate their energy, making it difficult to move.

Their blood frozen, the pressure of the Bull Demon's higher Divine Stage overwhelmed them, leaving them unable to react... and they were killed!

After slaying several people, the Bull Demon crossed the courtyard and appeared before Lin Da and the Corpse God Envoy.

Despite the Divinity Crystal powder, the Bull Demon could still utilize his Divinity. His Pure Heart Fruit pulsated, and the white Divinity it released merged with the Three-Eyed Wrathful True Monarch's Divinity, directly countering the suppression of the Divinity Crystal.

"You dare to challenge me?"

The Corpse God Envoy's eyes narrowed.

He was about to activate the Heaven and Earth Jade to summon his weapon.

But the Bull Demon didn't waste any words. With a ruthless and decisive move, he charged forward, his wrathful killing intent surging as he rushed towards the Corpse God Envoy!

"Bull Demon—!!!"

The Corpse God Envoy roared. How did the Bull Demon appear so quickly?!

A thunderous explosion reverberated as the Bull Demon's massive elbow smashed into the Corpse God Envoy's white mask, shattering it into four pieces. The face beneath was deeply sunken and twisted, covered in shattered flesh and broken bones!

However...

Li Che quickly noticed the absence of blood.

Clenching his fist, the Primordial Space spat out a blood-red spear, its scarlet color resembling a bloody flower blooming in hell.

He thrust the spear forward.

Ding!

The spear struck the Corpse God Envoy's body, tearing his white robe and revealing a grayish-black, muscle-clad physique...

It was as if his flesh had been transformed into grayish-black refined iron. When the spear struck, it emitted a metallic clanging sound.

The powerful force slammed into the Corpse God Envoy's body, sending him flying like a cannonball and crashing into the courtyard ground.

"My body has been tempered into a Cursed Iron Corpse! How dare you, a non-Grandmaster, try to kill me?!"

Intense corpse energy suddenly erupted from the Corpse God Envoy's body, and his shattered mask revealed a sunken, broken, and crazed face.

However...

The Bull Demon stared at him indifferently. The next moment, his eyes burst with golden smoke, slowly dissipating from the depths of his pupils, while his black hair flew wildly, reaching down to his waist.

An incredibly oppressive Divine Stage pressure, like a collapsing mountain, slammed into the Corpse God Envoy's body.

The red spear rose, and though it was a spear, it emitted endless dazzling blade light!

It was as if a red three-bladed sword was vibrating with a buzzing sound!

The Three-Eyed Wrathful True Monarch's Three-Bladed Sword!

A pinnacle Divine Stage martial art!

With a fierce sweep of the blade, the terrifying power contained within the spear-turned-sword exploded onto the Corpse God Envoy's body, shattering him from within and without!

From his head, shoulders, skull, and back, the explosion spread!

His body, tempered into a Cursed Iron Corpse, could only be slain by a Grandmaster...

Instantly, countless blood droplets sprayed out, and his body flew like a straw man, landing over ten meters away!

"Such power..."

"This... this is... Temple Deity power... a Divine Being's... strength..."

The Corpse God Envoy's body was shattered, his iron corpse reduced to mud, and only a faint breath remained.

Pfft!

A vermillion-red long spear shot forth like a venomous snake.

Piercing through the head of the Corpse God Envoy, the terrifying power between the spear's recoil caused the envoy's skull to shatter like a fragile watermelon, exploding into four or five pieces. Blood mist and flesh splattered across the courtyard.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye. From the moment the Demon Ox made his move to the death of the envoy, only a few breaths had passed, and their exchange lasted no more than ten moves.

The Ten Capital Cities Corpse God Envoy of the Corpse God Sect was directly...

Crushed!

Lin Da, standing beside him, remained stiff as a board. The terrifying pressure, like a waterfall, emanating from the Demon Ox after sealing the envoy's divine essence, left Lin Da unable to even twitch a finger.

The courtyard was filled with a hazy fog of divinity crystals.

Two streams of golden smoke wafted, and the next moment, Lin Da felt an intense, explosive pain, followed by a loss of sensation. The world seemed to drift away from him.

The head of the second-in-command of the Million Gambling House...

Was crushed in an instant!

In his Ascension State, Li Che possessed the rank of a Ten Capital Cities Temple Deity, and his combat power soared to an extreme level.

Lin Da, only at the Initial Divine Foundation, was unable to utilize his divine essence, and although he could still harness the power of his divine veins and blood, it was no match for Li Che's Ascension State cultivation.

A faint golden smoke drifted from Li Che's eyes as he scanned the courtyard filled with martial warriors.

His cold gaze was devoid of emotion, as if his humanity had been extinguished, leaving only the intent to kill.

His fingers twitched slightly, and in an instant, countless silver threads stretched and snapped, accompanied by the sound of shattering bones.

The Thousand Spider Domain...

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!

The warriors, enhanced by the Corpse Curse Seal to the Qi Meridian Realm, let out miserable howls as they were sliced apart by Li Che's Ascension State-manipulated Thousand Dissection Hand's terrifying domain.

Blood steamed and blossomed like blood-red flowers in the spring breeze within the courtyard.

The Demon Ox, with his massive frame and broad back, stood like a towering mountain, his black hair cascading like a waterfall or a billowing cloak.

He seemed to be standing amidst a field of blooming mandrake, a living hell on earth.

The entire courtyard was filled with slaughtered warriors.

His fingers, like hooks, slowly curled into a fist.

Ascension Thousand Dissection Hand...

Divine essence gathered from the corpses, forming black chess pieces that floated around him, which he devoured one by one.

After absorbing the divine essence, Li Che expertly searched the bodies, retrieving the Heaven and Earth Jade pieces and storing them in his Primordial Space.

Once he finished, the Demon Ox's massive body suddenly stomped heavily, causing the courtyard, littered with flesh, to sink and crack like a radioactive spider web.

The Demon Ox's body shot upwards, landing on the roof!

...

...

Temple Enforcement Command.

Chief Officer Zhang Lianhao, leisurely sipping tea and reviewing documents, suddenly froze.

The documents and teacup gently floated down.

In the next moment, he had vanished from his seat and appeared on the roof of the Temple Enforcement Command.

He stared at the distant, fleeting trail of blood-red qi.

His eyes narrowed, and with a light tap of his toes, the surrounding scenery blurred as he dashed towards the source of the qi.

Like a high-speed train, he raced towards the direction of the emanating aura.

Zhang Lianhao, clad in his Chief Clerk's Robe, clenched his fist and gripped a gilded silver tiger-headed spear. His blood essence seemed to transform into a tangible mist, enveloping him.

His robe fluttered in the wind as he fixed his gaze on the figure standing atop the Million Gambling House.

The massive figure resembled a mountain, with hair as dark and wild as a cloak.

Embedded within the cute Demon Ox mask were two eyes, flowing with faint golden smoke, cold and merciless like a deity.

It was the Demon Ox!

The Demon Ox... had appeared!

Was he waiting for me?

Zhang Lianhao narrowed his eyes, feeling a chill. His illusory aura surged skyward, and his powerful divine awareness spread out in ripples, searching for any trace of the Demon Ox.

But the Demon Ox ignored him.

With a sway, the Demon Ox's body plummeted, and in an instant, he vanished without a trace.

Even as Zhang Lianhao's illusory divine awareness swept the area, he couldn't detect any aura or sign of the Demon Ox, as if he had simply evaporated into thin air.

Zhang Lianhao's face turned cold as he leaped onto the roof of the Million Gambling House.

Looking down, he squinted at the courtyard filled with dismembered limbs, a scene from hell.

The chilly spring breeze ruffled Zhang Lianhao's hair and robe.

"Damn..."

"This Demon Ox..."

"A lawless madman."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end