Chapter 337: 313 Secret, Part 1

In the Yellow Earth Canyon.

On the official road leading to Citong.

Deep grooves resembling trench-like sword marks were scattered everywhere, along with pits forcibly trampled into the ground.

Jin Yuan panted like an ox, glaring viciously at the black-clad figure opposite him.

His body looked as if it had shrunk, clearly reduced in size.

His complexion was also much duller, and his eyes showed exhaustion unknown to his experiences.

“Are you from the Great Dao Teaching really looking to stir up trouble?!! Ambushing a poor monk in the middle of the road, do you think we don’t dare to retaliate?”

He didn’t speak this way at first.

Who was he? The dignified Jin Yuan, Grandmaster of the Western Sect, faced with an ambush, naturally would surge forward, crushing everything.

And so he did surge forward, but the two people beside him were no more.

The surge felt exhilarating, yet in that instant, two companions were intercepted and killed.

Two Spiritual Veins were killed on the spot.

Jin Yuan became furious, clashing with Ming Yuan.

Then the two were evenly matched, battling fiercely for over an hour.

“Based on the Sect Leader’s edict, our Great Dao Teaching does not provoke trouble, but neither do we fear trouble. We hope that Master Jin Yuan, upon reaching Citong, does not falsely accuse us. If there are any doubts, we will conduct an internal investigation. How punishment is dealt will be properly stated.”

Ming Yuan remained silent, while a female voice beside him answered aloud.

Jin Yuan’s heart was aggrieved beyond measure.

He had heard of Ming Yuan, someone originally deeply hidden in the Celestial Treasure Palace.

In recent years, he began to frequently appear in various places, cleaning up affairs for the Great Dao Teaching.

Most peculiar was that Ming Yuan’s strength seemed to vary.

It appeared to adjust temporarily based on the opponent he faced.

This was something Jin Yuan had noticed just now.

Ming Yuan, an obscure figure before, had managed to truly match him evenly.

“Fine, I’ve noted this. But if your Daoist commits a crime, at that time, I’m afraid your Celestial Treasure Palace won’t withstand it!” Jin Yuan said grimly.

“Then it’s none of your concern.” The female voice beside Ming Yuan replied.

Ming Yuan himself was also pale-faced, gripping the hilt of his sword before sheathing it.

Jin Yuan snorted coldly, no longer daring to speak further, swiftly passing through the small canyon.

This time, Ming Yuan did not obstruct him, merely standing quietly aside, watching him depart.

His goal was already achieved.

The high-level experts accompanying Jin Yuan were gone, and Jin Yuan himself was heavily injured, with a portion of his Spiritual Lines being devoured, causing his strength to drop significantly in the short term.

This was already the limit of what he could achieve at this moment.

From here on, it depended solely on Daoist Zhang Ying himself.

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Xuekui Island itself was not large.

Aside from the Blue Divine Mansion atop the cliff, the rest were the slave-like inhabitants living in the forested basin below.

These people were the blood reserves kept here by the Blood God Pirates, selected as meat for supplementing nutrition whenever they couldn’t hunt due to weather conditions.

Zhang Rongfang circled around inside the Blue Divine Mansion, finding nothing else useful.

Except for the statue.

The small statue was free of any cracks, far exceeding the completeness of the statue he had previously assembled.

Additionally, they finally found the corpse of Cheng Luo, a member of the treasure hunting team.

Her body was eaten, leaving only half, hung sadly in the kitchen, made into jerky.

“That’s Sister Cheng Luo,” Zhou Xinlan calmly pointed at the body strung on the wooden pole.

There was no fear in his eyes, only habit.

Zhang Rongfang and Tian Ruyi stood before the pole, gazing at the body, each falling into silence.

Long ago, they heard stories of some savage island natives who were yet to be civilized, enjoying human flesh.

This had been just an ancient legend in Citong, but unexpectedly, a real example appeared before them.

And the victim was one of their own!

A nameless fury brewed in Zhang Rongfang’s heart.

He sent out skilled treasure hunters, yet all members of the team were killed, and the treasure was nearly lost.

If not for good fortune, perhaps the Golden Toad Skill at the second level of Chasing the Sun would have been delayed for a long time.

His subordinates were killed and even treated as reserves for meat; they died because of his order.

This sudden burden of heavy life and death made Zhang Rongfang feel for the first time.

He was no longer who he used to be.

His every word and decision now related to the safety and danger of those around him….

“Proceed to find the rest of the treasure hunting team’s remains. Bring them back for a proper burial… Arrangements for the bereaved families must be made. Triple the compensation for each household.”

Zhang Rongfang said solemnly.

“Yes.”

Lin Xiaochi, the manager of the merchant ship beside him, nodded vigorously.

“Daoist, what should be done with the people on this island? We’ve discovered that these so-called natives are not residents but slaves taken by the Blood God Pirates and Ghostface Men,” Tian Ruyi of the Thousand Stone Sect asked seriously.

“Keep the slaves, employ them as laborers, and gradually release them after they adapt. As for the Blood God Pirates and Ghostface Men….” Zhang Rongfang remained silent.

They were the real culprits behind the attack on the treasure hunting team.

“Slaughter them all,” he sighed.

“Yes,” Tian Ruyi replied with grim determination.

Aside from the portion killed during their raid, only three Blood God Pirates remained.

About eighty Ghostface Men were left.

The fate of these people instantly plummeted to the bottom at this moment.

Carrying Cheng Luo’s remains, they carefully wrapped it, then arranged for small boats to transfer the items.

While laborers and sailors on the merchant ship were busy transferring valuables, Zhang Rongfang took the statue and a scroll of a secret method named Blood Bathing Sacrifice Skill back to the ship.

In the cabin.

Standing by the rounded glass window, he gently toyed with the mysterious statue in his hand.

From the mouths of the remaining Blood God Pirates on the island, he learned that this statue was named Blood God.

The very deity worshiped by all Blood God Pirates and Ghostface Men.

It’s just that this deity is not recognized by any nation.

In the Great Spirit, any deity that is not officially registered is considered a secret cult.

In other words, it’s illegal.

Once such a deity enters the Great Spirit, it’s viewed as a secret deity that the Great Spirit will use its power to eradicate.

Only in the vast oceans is there a breeding ground for this kind of Wild God Teaching to survive.

Zhang Rongfang carefully observed the statue.

The material of the statue was the same as the fragments of other statues he had encountered before.

It seemed to be of the same material.

The entire statue had no signs of jointing, as if it had been carved from a single piece of material.

He gently caressed the statue’s arm, feeling the coolness and smoothness, surprisingly free of any dust or stains.

Obviously, someone regularly cleaned and maintained it meticulously.

After examining it for a while, Zhang Rongfang didn’t find any mysterious features in the statue.

It looked just like an ordinary sculpture.

He couldn’t help but set it down and picked up the scroll of the Blood Bathing Sacrifice Skill.

This secret method, neither like martial skills nor like the Limit-Breaking Skill, instead it seemed more like a….

“A Contemplation Method?” Zhang Rongfang suddenly related it to the contemplation methods he had seen in his past life.

The so-called Contemplation Method is a special training method commonly used by sects to concentrate spirit and strengthen the will.

He carefully examined the text on the secret scroll, which had all been translated by a translator on the ship.

’The Great Blood God was born amidst blood, forging a throne within the boundless Blood Sea.’

’He governs endless vitality.’

’He governs infinite endurance.’

’His arms flow softly like blood.’

’His five eyes look in different directions, representing the five senses of life.’

’The vortex beneath his throne represents life emanating from the unknown, heading towards the unknown.’

’When people sincerely worship him, those with outstanding aptitude might touch his supreme will.’

Following that was a series of specific rites and required items for worship.

Putting down the scroll, Zhang Rongfang looked back at the statue of the Blood God.

“It seems that unless you truly become a God Worshiper, there’s no way to fathom what this so-called deity really is, right?”

He furrowed his brows.

From various indications, it was clear that deities were the supreme root governing all things.

The Eastern Sect explored the mysteries of deities, seeking ways for ordinary people to kill God Worshiping Martial Artists.

It seemed that the Spirit Emperor was behind this.

But they were annihilated.

Who could make the Spirit Emperor willingly abandon the Eastern Sect he cultivated over the years?

Besides deities, who else could it be?

’Deities….what exactly are they?’

Zhang Rongfang fixed his gaze on the statue again, and even with his dark vision, he couldn’t penetrate the statue’s surface, only seeing the same sight as before.

The ship continued its journey, time slowly passing.

After finding the Residual Fragrance Coral treasure, Zhang Rongfang had accomplished a major goal.

As for another major goal.

He was still at a loss.

After studying the statue for a long time with no results, Zhang Rongfang stored it in the ship’s treasury.

Night fell.

The waves clashed against the ship’s wooden boards, swaying the vessel.

Zhang Rongfang lay quietly on his back in his room, closing his eyes to rest peacefully.

In the dim cabin, only a beam of bright moonlight streamed in through the round thick glass window.

’Zhang Rongfang…’

’Zhang Rongfang….’

A sharp voice continuously called out Zhang Rongfang’s name.

The voice wasn’t loud, but in the layers of crashing waves against the ship’s hull, it was extraordinarily clear and piercing.

Shua.

Zhang Rongfang suddenly opened his eyes, furrowing his brow as he sat up from his bed.

He listened carefully.

But outside, there was only the sound of the waves, nothing else.

Zhang Rongfang looked around, thinking he was mistaken. He was about to lie back down to rest.

’Zhang Rongfang…’

The sharp voice sounded again.

This time, he heard it clearly.

The voice was neither male nor female, indistinguishable in gender, the only certainty was its sharp, unsettling quality.

“Who is it!?” Zhang Rongfang got out of bed, looking around the cabin, finding nothing.

He walked to the window, looking out.

The waves outside rose and fell, everything appeared normal.

Just then, the sharp voice spoke again.

’Come here.’

’Come here…’

This time, Zhang Rongfang heard it clearly.

The voice came from outside the door.

He slowly put on a cloak and walked to the door.

Reaching out, he gently grasped the door handle.

Crack.

The door opened.

An enormous blood-red face, as large as the door frame, blocked the way outside.

The face had five eyes in total, three on top and two below.

It was exactly like the Blood God statue that Zhang Rongfang had just acquired!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep