Chapter 108: Hellflower Blooms, Devil Ox: Outlaw of the Law

Chapter 108: Hellflower Blooms, Devil Ox: Outlaw of the Law

A sudden gust of spring breeze howls through the streets, rustling the willow trees planted along the way, their branches swaying vigorously.

Li Che covers his face with the Devil Ox mask, his muscles and bones crackling and popping, as nine thick tendons writhe and roar beneath his skin, like a powerful demon serpent struggling to break free from its resilient membrane.

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

"Million Gamblers' Den... One of the three major gangs in Golden Light City, the Fishermen's Gang, has its influence here, and the Black Snake Gang that's been tailing my family in Flower Listening Lane is also connected to them."

Li Che activates the Dragon Elephant Vajra, his physical body growing taller and more robust, but even with just the first state activated, he already exudes an imposing and oppressive aura.

His powerful vital energy seems to condense into clouds and mist, enveloping his entire body like a dense fog.

However, with his dominant vital energy and aura, he employs the Sleeping Dragon Ox technique to conceal himself, as if erasing his presence from the world.

Even Divine Appearance Cultivators with their divine perception would find it challenging to detect his location.

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

"But Divine Appearance Cultivators can sense something amiss, so they repeatedly sweep the area, yet they can't pinpoint the issue..."

"If we were within ten zhang of each other, my concealment would be immediately exposed."

"This means my Sleeping Dragon Ox technique is still not perfect..."

Li Che, wearing the Devil Ox mask, gazes calmly at the distant Million Gamblers' Den, his eyes as still as a deep well, devoid of joy or sorrow.

On the long street, pedestrians hurry by, each with a hurried expression. Numerous gamblers exit the gambling den, while new ones arrive, having somehow scraped together their stakes, and they step through the nearly threshold-less entrance of the den, filled with hope.

"Corpse Deity Sect..."

A flash of severity crosses Li Che's eyes.

He holds no favor for this sect, as the Spirit Infants Sect, which Li Che belongs to, was created and branched out from the Corpse Deity Sect.

The Thousand Infants Rite was incited and manipulated by them!

Cao Guang's decision to sacrifice the entire Thunderstrike City was influenced by the Corpse Deity Sect's instigation.

"Are there members of the Corpse Deity Sect in the Million Gamblers' Den? Or perhaps... the Fishermen's Gang is the Corpse Deity Sect's power in Golden Light City?"

"Does the Temple Guard Service know about this?"

"What about the Golden Light City's Divine Guard Army?"

Li Che mutters to himself.

They must be aware, but there's likely a reason they haven't taken action, perhaps to lure in a bigger catch, or out of fear of alerting their target...

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

While sending their elite members to attack the Majestic Divine Capital region, they have also dispatched their forces to various prefecture cities under the eleven paths of the Majestic Divine Capital.

With the Corpse Deity Sect's secret incitement, many areas have already seen armed forces rise in rebellion...

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

Therefore, it's unlikely that the Corpse Deity Sect's presence in Golden Light City has gone unnoticed by the local powers.

It's possible they are biding their time, waiting for a bigger catch.

"But... what does this have to do with me, the Devil Ox?"

If you are aware of the Corpse Deity Sect's activities in Golden Light City, why haven't you taken action?

You let them target my daughter, putting her life at risk!

Are you trying to scare off the snake by beating the grass?

But the Corpse Deity Sect has already set its sights on my family, on my daughter!

Li Che cannot imagine what horrors the lively and adorable Xixi might face if she falls into the hands of the Corpse Deity Sect.

He dares not think about it, nor does he want to. As a father, he must shield his daughter from all dangers.

Let the old man handle the killing.

The bigger picture...

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 surge of murderous intent erupts like crashing waves, hidden behind the mask, as if unleashing 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.

Pedestrians rush by on both sides, yet no one seems to notice his presence or his towering, mountain-like physique.

With the Sleeping Dragon Ox technique, he is isolated from the world.

The Devil Ox's robust body strides across the threshold of the Million Gamblers' Den.

But once inside, Li Che slightly lifts his hat, and his fierce gaze beneath the mask scans the area, his powerful heart pounding.

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

Then, the Devil Ox figure merges into the darkness, silently making his way deeper into the gambling den.

...

...

Boom!

A muffled thunderclap erupts as lightning snakes through the dark clouds, and a fierce wind whips through the air!

Million Gamblers' Den.

Backyard.

In the spacious backyard, dozens of formidable warriors gather, each having achieved the Pulse Channeling stage, with their energy channels interconnected.

Their powerful vital energy intertwines, creating a furnace-like heat that seems to raise the temperature in the courtyard by several degrees.

At the front of the yard stands a burly middle-aged man with a twisted beard, wearing a black long robe. His muscular physique stretches the black robe tightly, outlining his defined muscles.

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

This man is none other than the second-in-command of the Million Gamblers' Den, Lin Da.

His sharp gaze carries a hint of agility, and despite his robust build, he resembles a venomous snake ready to strike.

Lin Da, a Divine Pulse Warrior, had reached the initial stage of the Divine Foundation Realm. His innate talent in the Divine Nature aspect was limited, and the initial stage of the Divine Foundation Realm was as far as he could go.

In other smaller cities, Lin Da's strength would be enough to dominate, earning him the status of a respected elder in a prominent family.

However, in the mighty Golden Light City, he could only be the second-in-command of a lower-tier power like the Million Gamblers' Gang.

"Divine Envoy, the task you assigned has been successfully completed. Li Zhengran... has been implanted with the Corpse Curse Seal. If you wish, at any time, you can activate it, turning him into an obedient 'Cursed Corpse'."

Beside Lin Da stood a figure shrouded in a white robe, wearing a mask made of smooth, white Spirit Wood. The mask had only two dark eye holes.

Blood-red ink formed a gigantic 'ten' character on the mask, as if about to split the mask into four pieces.

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

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

Lin Da immediately beamed with joy, rubbing his hands together, "To serve the Corpse Sect is an honor for us..."

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

"Sacrificing the entire city of Thunderstrike City, performing a ritual to harness the power of the Temple Deity, we could have refined a 'Cursed Copper Corpse'. Unfortunately... it was destroyed by someone named 'Devil Ox'."

"This Devil Ox... his identity remains unknown, but we have our suspicions."

"In Thunderstrike City, an 'Eight Directions Corpse Curse Seal' has gone missing... Senior Yuan speculates that this precious seal was meant for the top-grade Spirit Child, Li Nuan Xi, but was intercepted."

"The one who intercepted the Eight Directions Corpse Curse Seal is likely the Devil Ox."

"Unable to erase the curse, they could only suppress it to conceal its presence."

"This Devil Ox is audacious, daring to take the Eight Directions Corpse Curse Seal. They won't get away with it!"

"Zhang Xiangyang believes the Devil Ox might be Li Nuan Xi's master. If so, we can start with her."

"A top-grade Spirit Child..."

A faint glow emanated from behind the mask.

"Li Zhengran is Li Che's elder brother, and he has the opportunity to come into contact with Li Nuan Xi. As soon as they touch, the Corpse Curse Seal will transfer to the top-grade Spirit Child..."

"When Li Nuan Xi is in danger, the Devil Ox... won't be able to hide anymore."

The voice carried a chilling laugh, confident and in control.

Lin Da's hair stood on end, and a chill ran through his body. The Corpse Curse Seal... could be transferred by mere touch? The Corpse 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. It was like an old tree taking root, constantly growing hideous tendrils that absorbed his Divine Nature and devoured his vital energy...

Lin Da felt a sense of coldness.

"Don't worry. If you perform well, you can receive a 'Ten Cities Corpse Deity Statue' carved by our sect's master sculptor. The statue can help you extract the corpse energy from the Corpse Curse Seal, preventing the possibility of a Corpse Transformation."

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

"Furthermore, the Corpse Seal can enhance your cultivation talent. Your Divine Nature, stuck at the initial stage of the Divine Foundation Realm, can be improved."

"And your physical body can also benefit from the nourishment of the Corpse Curse Seal, becoming stronger. In the future, breaking through the Divine Pulse and achieving True Qi Mastery is not out of the question."

The Corpse Envoy's voice held a hint of enticement.

"Look at them. They were all at the Pulse Channeling stage, and after obtaining the 'Ten Cities Corpse Curse Seal', they have all reached the Pulse Channeling Realm. In the future... they can even reach the Divine Pulse Realm!"

"Don't you desire this power that can break your limits?"

Lin Da's initial worries dissipated, and he became slightly fervent.

Below, the warriors in the Pulse Channeling Realm in the courtyard all showed excitement in their eyes.

Lin Da's body trembled slightly.

Everything before him was proof.

The Corpse Sect's rise was like a wildfire, causing even the vast Great Jing Dynasty to scramble. The rumors of the extremely powerful Princess Hime Mary's unsuccessful attempt to suppress the Corpse Sect further emphasized its power.

If Lin Da could climb the ranks within the Corpse Sect...

"Right, Divine Envoy, aren't we afraid of retribution from the Divine Sect's branch?"

The Corpse Envoy calmly replied, "The waters are deep here; it's best not to ask."

Hearing this, Lin Da's eyes widened, and he dared not inquire further.

Suddenly, the white-masked Corpse Envoy turned her head sharply towards a direction.

"What is it?"

Huh?!

Clap!

Unexpectedly, a palm-sized black object appeared from the corner, following a parabolic arc and falling.

The Divine Envoy's gaze instantly locked onto it, slightly startled. It was a wooden raven, carved from Spirit Wood with a slightly comical appearance.

A raven?

Oh no!

The dark eye holes in the Corpse Envoy's mask suddenly burst into a dazzling and eye-catching crimson light!

Boom!

In the next moment, accompanied by a howling rush of turbulent air, the wooden raven shattered into four pieces, and dense dust rose into the air.

Dust particles raged in the surging airflow, enveloping the entire courtyard!

Visibility dropped instantly.

The Corpse Deity Envoy touched the ground with his toes, and his white robe suddenly billowed. The Niwan Palace beneath his mask faintly glowed, and he was about to summon his Divine Foundation!

However...

Where was the Divine Foundation?!

Not only the Corpse Deity Envoy but also Lin Da, the second-in-command of the Million Gamblers' Den, experienced the same.

His face violently trembled, turning pale with shock.

Damn...

Where was my Divine Foundation?!

"This is..."

"Divine Crystal Powder?"

The Corpse Deity Envoy from the Corpse Deity Sect reacted, his body erupting with vital energy. He was about to disperse the Divine Crystal powder and restore his Divinity's ability to activate, thereby unleashing his power!

The Divine Crystal powder, which resembled lime, could affect Divinity, causing it to become stagnant and difficult to stimulate!

Such a vicious method!

However, the next moment, he felt an overwhelming sense of oppression, as if a mountain was collapsing, making it hard to breathe, as if his throat was tightly grasped!

Unbeknownst to them, a towering figure appeared at the courtyard entrance, wearing a cute cow mask. In the hazy Divine Crystal powder, he looked extremely eerie.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Like muffled thunder, accompanied by a buzzing sound.

The Devil Ox's body swelled continuously!

[Dragon Elephant Vajra]...

Angry Vajra!

Breaking free from restraints!

Dense vital energy seemed to burst from his body, like a coiling dragon snake.

His eyes beneath the mask showed no joy or sorrow, devoid of any emotional fluctuations!

"Devil Ox—!"

The Corpse Deity Envoy's eyes narrowed, and a loud shout erupted from his mouth!

"Stop him!"

He wanted to disperse the Divine Crystal powder and restore his Divinity's ability to activate, thereby unleashing his power!

The Divine Crystal powder actually had such an effect?

This Devil Ox... was as sinister and vicious as the rumors, with no trace of heroism!

Boom!!!

But just as he finished shouting, the courtyard floor suddenly shook. The Devil Ox took a step forward, and the green bricks were crushed under his feet, causing the ground to collapse!

It was as if a blood-red angry dragon was swiftly swooping down, shattering the obstructing air with its roar.

Rampant, insane, and unrestrained killing intent permeated the courtyard.

There was no concealment!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The Devil Ox's speed was too fast. With his unmatched physical body, his towering two-meter-tall physique was like a coiling dragon, and within his sturdy muscles, there was a terrifying force capable of destruction!

Several blood mists exploded, and several bodies were blasted out like cannonballs.

These were the Vital Energy cultivators in the courtyard who were preparing to block the Devil Ox. Each of them displayed their martial arts, roaring continuously in an attempt to stop him.

However, they couldn't keep up with the Devil Ox's speed. Moreover, there was a terrifying and oppressive Divinity power that made it difficult for them to even circulate their vital energy, let alone move their bodies.

Their blood froze, and the pressure from the Divinity rank made it impossible for these cultivators in the courtyard to react in time... They were killed before they could move!

After killing several people, the Devil Ox crossed the courtyard and appeared before Lin Da and the Corpse Deity Envoy from the Corpse Deity Sect!

Under the influence of the Divine Crystal powder, the Devil Ox could still utilize his Divinity because... his Pure Heart Dao Fruit pulsated, and the white Divinity that burst forth merged with the Three-Eyed Wrathful True Lord's Divinity, directly shielding him from the suppression of the Divine Crystal.

"You dare to attack me?"

The Corpse Deity Envoy's eyes narrowed!

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

But the Devil Ox didn't waste any words. With decisive killing intent, he charged forward, his killing intent like a raging tide, rushing straight at the Corpse Deity Envoy!

"Devil Ox—!!!"

The Corpse Deity Envoy roared. How could the Devil Ox appear so quickly?!

A loud explosion reverberated, and an enormous elbow smashed into the Corpse Deity Envoy's white mask, shattering it into four or five pieces. The face beneath the mask was deeply sunken and twisted, covered in shattered flesh and broken bones!

However...

Li Che quickly noticed that there was no blood.

Clenching his five fingers, the Heaven and Earth Jade space spat out the Blood-Bathed Shock Lance, crimson in color, like a bloody flower blooming in hell.

He fiercely stabbed with the lance.

Ding!

The lance struck the Corpse Deity Envoy's physical body, and his white robe exploded, revealing a grayish-black, muscle-covered body...

It was as if his flesh and blood had been transformed into grayish-black fine iron. When the lance landed on his body, it emitted a metallic clanging sound.

The powerful force slammed into the Corpse Deity Envoy's body, blasting him like a cannonball and slamming him into the courtyard floor.

"My body has been refined into a Cursed Iron Corpse! How can you kill me if you're not a Grandmaster?!"

Dense Corpse Qi suddenly erupted from the Corpse Deity Envoy's body, shattering his mask and revealing a sunken, twisted, and crazed face.

However...

The Devil Ox stared at him indifferently. The next moment, his eyes burst with golden smoke, slowly dispersing from the depths of his pupils, and his black hair flew wildly, falling to his waist.

An extremely oppressive Divinity rank pressure, like a collapsing mountain, slammed into the Corpse Deity Envoy's body.

The red lance suddenly rose, and although it was a lance, it burst forth with endless dazzling sword light!

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

Three-Eyed Wrathful True Lord's Three-Bladed Sword!

Supreme Divinity Martial Art!

With a fierce sweep of the sword, the terrifying power contained within the lance-turned-sword exploded on the Corpse Deity Envoy's physical body.

It blasted open from within his brain, spine, head, and back, simultaneously exploding from within and without his entire body!

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

Instantly, countless blood splattered, and his body flew out like a scarecrow, landing over ten meters away!

"This power..."

"This... this... Temple Deity's power... the Divine Being's... power..."

The Corpse Deity Envoy's body was shattered, his bones broken, and only a faint breath remained.

Boom!

A scarlet-red spear shot out like a venomous snake.

Piercing through his skull, the terrifying force caused the spear to tremble, and the Corpse Deity Sect's envoy's head shattered like a fragile watermelon, exploding into a bloody mist that sprayed onto the courtyard.

Everything happened too quickly; from the Devil Ox's attack to the envoy's death, it was only a matter of a few breaths, and their confrontation didn't even exceed ten moves.

This Ten District Corpse God envoy of the Corpse Deity Sect was directly...

Crushed!

Beside him, Lin Da was still stiff, his body frozen in place. After having his divine essence sealed, he was overwhelmed by the terrifying pressure emanating from the Devil Ox, like a cascading waterfall.

He couldn't even muster the strength to twitch a finger!

Divine essence crystal powder drifted in the air, creating a hazy fog.

Two golden wisps of smoke danced, and the next moment, Lin Da felt an intense, explosive pain, followed by a loss of intuition, as if the world was drifting away from him.

The head of this Million Gamblers' Den's second-in-command...

Was directly crushed!

Ascension State Li Che, possessing the rank of a Ten Cities Temple Deity, had his combat strength soar to an extremely high level.

Lin Da, only at the Initial Stage of Divine Foundation, couldn't utilize his divine essence, but even with his divine pulse and blood essence in play, he couldn't compare to Li Che's Ascension State cultivation.

Faint golden smoke drifted from Li Che's eyes, and he scanned the entire courtyard filled with divine pulse warriors.

Cold cruelty filled his gaze, devoid of emotion, as if humanity had been extinguished, leaving only killing intent.

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

Thousand Spider Threads upgraded...

Thousand Spider Domain!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The warriors, whose Corpse Curse Seal had been enhanced to the Divine Pulse Realm, let out miserable howls as Li Che, in his Ascension State, manipulated the terrifying domain of divine essence Thousand Spider Threads to slice through them.

Countless streams of blood rose, filling the courtyard like a sea of blood-red flowers blooming in the gentle spring breeze.

Wearing the cute ox mask, his robust body formed an inverted triangle, and his black hair, like a waterfall or a cape, stood...

As if standing in a human hell filled with blooming mandalas.

The entire courtyard was filled with slaughtered warriors.

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

Ascension Thousand Analyzing Hands...

Divine essence, like silk, gathered from the corpses, condensed into black chess pieces that floated around him, and he devoured them all.

After absorbing the divine essence, Li Che skillfully searched the bodies, finding piece after piece of Heaven and Earth Jade, which he collected and stored in his Heaven and Earth space.

After finishing, the robust body of the Devil Ox suddenly stomped heavily, and the courtyard was covered in shredded flesh, causing the ground to sink and crack like a radioactive spider web.

The Devil Ox's body shot up and landed on the roof.

...

...

Temple Guard Service.

Senior Enforcer Zhang Lianhao, casually sipping tea and reviewing documents, suddenly focused his gaze.

The documents and teacup fell to the ground.

In the next moment, he had disappeared from his seat and appeared on the roof of the Temple Guard Service.

Looking into the distance, he saw a fleeting flash of blood-red light.

His eyes narrowed, and with a light tap of his foot, the surrounding scenery seemed to rush past him at lightning speed, vanishing as it did.

Like a high-speed train, he quickly moved towards the direction of the surging energy.

Zhang Lianhao, wearing his Senior Enforcer robes, clenched his fist around a silver tiger-head spear. His aura seemed to transform into a tangible mist, enveloping him.

His Senior Enforcer robes fluttered in the wind as he stared intently at the figure standing atop the Million Gamblers' Den.

The robust man stood like a mountain, his black hair wild and flowing like a cape.

Embedded within the cute ox mask were two eyes emitting faint golden smoke, like a cold and ruthless deity.

It was the Devil Ox!

The Devil Ox... had appeared!

He was deliberately waiting for me?!

Zhang Lianhao narrowed his eyes, a chill running through him. His illusory aura surged upwards, and his divine perception expanded like ripples in a pond, continuously spreading.

But the Devil Ox paid him no heed.

With a sway, the moment his body started to fall, he shot off at an incredibly terrifying speed.

Then...

He vanished without a trace!

Even with Zhang Lianhao's rapid illusory divine perception, he couldn't capture any trace of the Devil Ox's aura or movement. It was as if the Devil Ox had evaporated into thin air!

Zhang Lianhao's face turned cold as he landed on the roof of the Million Gamblers' Den.

Looking down, he squinted at the courtyard filled with severed limbs and corpses, a scene reminiscent of a human hell.

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

"Damn..."

"This Devil Ox..."

"A lawless madman."

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(End of Chapter)

Chapter end