Chapter 234 Do I look like a real Four-phase Tribulation Master? (Three-in-one)
The seaport where the Cao Gang is located was extremely busy when trading with the maritime countries in the past, with more than a thousand ships entering and leaving every day. But now, only eight percent is left.
Although the shipping route to Haiguo has been abolished, transporting goods to Jiangnan by sea from here is still the shortest and safest route. Therefore, this wharf controlled by the Cao Gang is still quite prosperous.
Of course, this is only the case on the surface; the smuggling transactions carried out in secret are not included.
The interests involved are more than tens of millions of real money.
The reason why the Cao Gang was able to do such a business was because they had someone behind them, and this so-called person was the "Mie" Dao.
Although it is true that "Mie" Dao is a madman, madness without strength and preparation is nothing but impotent rage. The plans they have made cannot develop their influence and strength without money.
If the Demon Cult wants to maintain the cultivation of its practitioners, it naturally needs industrial support.
Just as the "Qing" Dao runs the Chamber of Commerce, the "Mie" Dao controls the water transportation related to the Cao Gang.
This area is full of people who "destroy" the Tao, and over the years, relying on smuggling, the trade routes with the sea country have been secretly developed and an industrial chain has been formed.
In this way, in the later plot, they can bring the witch people back to the Sea Kingdom without anyone noticing, and instigate some mermaids to rebel, seize power, and control the "Dragon Soul Sea".
Cui Xiu had been waiting here for the arrival of the "Four-phase Robber Lord" early in the morning, and naturally did not forget to prepare a place for him to rest.
Although there are two new "subordinates", it is not a big problem.
How could such a big Cao Gang be short of two rooms?
After arranging the three people, Cui Xiu called his confidant, looked at the room in the distance, narrowed his eyes, his gaze flickered, and ordered in a deep voice:
"Tell the men below to prepare the 'Dragon Trapping Formation'."
The confidant was startled and asked doubtfully:
"Sir, there have been no enemy attacks recently, so why would you resort to the 'Dragon Trapping Formation'?"
This formation came from the Sea Country, and its origin was that it was used by monks in ancient times to hunt sea beasts.
The sea beasts recorded in ancient times were huge in size and their strength could reach the second level. Their bodies were full of natural treasures, and even their oil could be used to light eternal lamps as the core of formations.
In order to hunt sea beasts without damaging any part of their bodies, the "Dragon Trapping Formation" was invented.
The characteristics of this formation are its wide range and strong binding force. As long as it is within the range, even a second-grade formation will be trapped.
As for the price, the spiritual power consumed is also huge.
This means that either there must be enough monks or there must be enough money.
After all, this formation was designed specifically for sea beasts in the past. As long as you catch them, you will definitely make a profit. But now, this formation has been arranged under the entire dock.
In previous years, the "Dragon Trapping Formation" was only used when the Cao Gang clashed with a Jiangnan family.
The Jiangnan family coveted the benefits brought by the monopoly of the waterway, and wanted to take advantage of several murders within the Cao Gang to directly attack the Cao Gang's headquarters and seize the share of the waterway.
But unfortunately, this Jiangnan family failed to find out the reason behind the Cao Gang, which was to "destroy" the Dao.
Of course, the Demon Cult could be so arrogant thanks to the cover-up of the cause and effect magic of the "Six Star Lords". Otherwise, the imperial court and Yaoshan would have found out everything once they investigated.
Nowadays, the strength of the "Six Star Lords" has been greatly reduced, and most of their causal magic has been broken. Even when it comes to the "Destruction" method, they have restrained themselves a lot when they are active.
This "Dragon Trapping Formation" is too large and it is very likely that their actions will be exposed immediately.
——The Demon Cult is not in harmony with the sect in reality. The "Jie" sect has always been wary of the "Mie" sect and has been secretly observing their movements. What's more, now Confucianism and the "Jie" sect no longer need to pretend to be hostile.
From the very beginning, the Dao of "Destruction" was just a knife in their eyes.
This knife is now out of control, so it should be broken directly.
Therefore, the "destroying" Taoist followers who used to do things without scruples have become much more restrained and cautious.
At least before their great cause is completed, they need to paralyze the Confucianists and not let them know the real plan of "destroying" Taoism [Nine Netherworlds Coming to the World].
This was also the reason why the confidant was very hesitant and surprised.
Cui Xiu said coldly:
"The robber in this room is most likely fake."
The confidant widened his eyes, a little surprised:
"How... could this happen?"
The aura of the "Four-phase Lord of Tribulation" clearly had no problems, and he knew everything about the Witch Clan just by opening his mouth.
If it wasn't the robber himself, how could he know such a confidential matter?
All matters related to the witch clan, from finding them to taking them in and controlling them, are controlled by the "Four-phase Lord of Tribulation" himself.
He continued:
"The robber had gone to Huangtian City to hunt down Gu Fangchen, but he disappeared during the pursuit."
"The Six Star Lords have long ago instructed that if there are others around the calamity master when he reappears, they will most likely have been replaced by someone else or controlled by Gu Fangchen."
"The robber's style has always been either not to do it or to do it to the extreme."
"If she hadn't killed Gu Fangchen on her way to Huangtian City, how could she have returned? But I just heard a few days ago that Gu Fangchen had just appeared in Fatuma and performed some kind of 'miracle'."
"Therefore, there are only two possibilities for the robbery master's current state."
"Either she is still looking for an opportunity to kill Gu Fangchen, or she has already died at Gu Fangchen's hands!"
The confidant thought about it and felt that it made sense, but when he heard the last sentence, he couldn't help but gasp.
"Sir, does Gu Fangchen have such ability?"
It can be said that the regicide and treason were caused by the Qingman internal collusion.
If the "Four Phases Tribulation Master" was killed, it wouldn't be something that could be explained by an insider...
Some time ago, Gu Fangchen's strength in the eyes of the public was only at the fourth level. His peak achievement was to kill Gu Yuye, who was at the peak of the third level and half a step away from the second level.
How come in just the blink of an eye, he was about to kill the second-rank one?!
Cui Xiu said:
"This man's true strength cannot be measured by ordinary realms. Originally, it was rumored that he was a knife of Mahamudra. But as soon as he arrived in Qingman, Sule, the 'Heavenly Punishment', claimed that he was a messenger of the 'God of Heaven'."
"A man from the Great Wei, Qingman Khan, personally admitted that he was a messenger of the 'God of Heaven', and Mahamudra had no objection. This man's cultivation may be only the third rank at most, but when it comes to instigating people, he is definitely at the second rank or even higher."
"There's a reason why both the Confucianists and the Demonic Cult attach so much importance to him."
"Xie Qian is about to come out of seclusion, and they can't do anything to him, so how can we underestimate him?"
"Besides, the robber's reaction just now was very abnormal."
"Have you ever seen her so outwardly powerful but so weak? She wouldn't even let us see her subordinates' faces. Even the 'Shaped Grass Sword' wouldn't put on such an air."
"I suspect that those two subordinates were sent by Gu Fangchen, or even Gu Fangchen himself!"
He said in a deep voice, decisively:
"Let's test it with the 'Dragon Trapping Formation'. If it really is the Lord Robber, the 'Dragon Trapping Formation' will definitely not be able to trap her."
"If the robbers want to blame me, I will take full responsibility."
"If not, then it will be our credit."
Cui Xiu patted his confidant's shoulder and asked him to go down and inform others to prepare to activate the "Dragon Trapping Formation".
After listening to his clear and logical analysis, the confidant felt that it made a lot of sense. He gritted his teeth, nodded, and left.
"Okay, sir, I'll go right away!"
After his confidant left, Cui Xiu slowly revealed a sneer on his face.
Although he had some doubts in his heart, the "Four-phase Robbery Lord" was moody and extremely powerful. He had never had any normal interactions with his subordinates. He always disappeared after giving his orders.
His true identity and true character are both a mystery.
Not only do outsiders not know, but those who "destroy" the Tao are also unclear.
How could Cui Xiu be sure that the "Four-phase Robbery Master" would not scold him like that?
He actually had no idea.
But he only knew one thing, that is... the aura of the "Four-phase Tribulation Lord" was clearly unstable and weak, as if he was seriously injured.
Moreover, there was a faint smell of blood lingering in the salty smell of the sea breeze.
Compared to the idea that the "Four-phase Robbery Lord" was impersonated, Cui Xiu was more inclined to believe that the "Four-phase Robbery Lord" was injured while chasing Gu Fangchen, so he ran back in a hurry to heal his wounds. Moreover, his attitude towards him was so timid that even his scolding seemed anxious.
"You've arrived just in time..."
Cui Xiu sneered, and with his hands behind his back he looked at the shimmering waves on the sea. A cold light flashed in his eyes, and he muttered in his heart:
"I've been in charge of the Cao Gang for ten years now. This trade route with the Sea Country has been largely opened up. After years of meticulous maintenance, it's finally coming to fruition. How can I let you destroy it so easily?"
He had already reached an agreement with the witch clan and signed a contract.
In the future, when the Wu tribe counterattacks, retakes power in the Sea Kingdom, and reopens the country's borders, they will naturally reopen trade.
At that time, who will own this business and who will do it?
The benefits involved are far more than what we have now!
Just the sea route to Jiangnan and the occasional smuggling are enough to make a fortune, not to mention the trade between the two countries.
In Cui Xiu's eyes, all of these were already in his pocket.
Why has he worked so hard for so many years?
Could it really be that it is for the so-called great way?
There are indeed many crazy people who want to "destroy" the Tao, but not everyone yearns for self-destruction.
Cui Xiu had a hard life when he was young. He went through painful experiences that ordinary people could hardly imagine and suffered many inhuman tortures. Now he has to cover his true face with a mask, because underneath is just a piece of completely melted skin. And because he has taken the path of "destruction", these scars will never heal.
It was also because of this experience that he developed a desire for destruction in his heart and resented the world. He was willing to follow the "Four-phase Lord of Tribulation" and wanted everyone to taste this pain.
But later, after he killed his enemy, the hatred in his heart was extinguished in an instant.
On the contrary, in the process of running the Cao Gang, he tasted the beauty of power and the power of money... He suddenly didn't want to destroy it all.
How could such a beautiful world, a happy world where he could do whatever he wanted, be destroyed so easily?
After he had such thoughts, his cultivation level actually kept regressing.
If it weren't for his daily brutality towards other civilians, he wouldn't even be able to maintain his third-rank strength.
In order to maintain his cultivation, he secretly pretended that the canal workers were drowned, and actually imprisoned them under the dock. He invented different punishments every month to make himself more and more violent.
But this is just a drop in the bucket.
This is also one of the key points in his decision at this moment.
Cui Xiu had a premonition that his cultivation would sooner or later fail, and the "Four-phase Tribulation Lord" would not tolerate useless people, so when that day came, it would be his death.
"Then let's just end it all. That day will never come. That's all that's fine."
Cui Xiu's pupils under the mask were scarlet, showing a bit of madness.
His purpose has come into huge conflict with the entire "destruction" path, and it is obvious that in Cui Xiu's view, he is naturally more important.
He's not one of those lunatics bent on self-destruction.
If the world were really destroyed, where would he get the money? He had only enjoyed such a good life for a few years.
He wants to enjoy himself for many more years, so how can he sit back and watch a madman who wants to "destroy" the Tao destroy his happy life?
Tonight is a godsend!
"'Four-phase Tribulation Master'... no matter whether you are real or fake, tonight, you are destined to be fake!"
Cui Xiu flicked his sleeves, turned around, flew high into the sky, and narrowed his eyes.
Below, the waters around the entire dock gradually began to emit a scarlet light, as if blood was slowly spreading underwater.
These scarlet lights gradually spread in a regular pattern, and even the buildings on the dock emitted the same light, connecting and merging into a huge formation.
At this moment, there was still no movement at the location of the "Four Phases Lord of Tribulation".
Cui Xiu felt at ease.
It seems his guess was right!
Even if this "Four-phase Tribulation Lord" is not fake, he must have been seriously injured and unable to react at all!
Cui Xiu landed, concealed his aura, and flashed into the room of the "Four Phases Robbery Lord".
…
Yier walked into the room, took off her black robe, turned around with a smile, opened and lifted up the drawers and bedding with curiosity, looked at them carefully, then pouted her lips and sat on the bed, shaking her feet.
"It's so boring, there's nothing."
The room left at the Caobang Wharf naturally belonged to Lu Fuyi himself.
It is called a room, but in fact it is just a quiet room for practicing, without any additional decorations. Of course, this is also very consistent with Lu Fuyi's character.
The "Four-phase Robbery Lord" appears to be moody, ruthless, and bent on destroying the world. He will not easily reveal his own preferences.
Only when she returned to the wine shop in Qufang would she truly reveal her true preferences - such as those storybooks.
When she doesn't come, the room is handed over to her subordinates to take care of. There is not a single personal belonging in it, and it is so old-fashioned that it is outrageous.
Yier sat on the bed, humming a tuneless song. Her face was smiling, but there was no smile in her eyes. She just stared at the door, doing nothing.
It's like waiting for someone to come.
After a while.
Scarlet glowing patterns began to appear on the floor and walls of the room.
That is the spiritual pattern belonging to the "Dragon Trapping Formation".
Yi'er seemed to have seen nothing and continued to hum a song, her slender legs swaying and kicking on the patterns on the ground.
“Swish.”
A middle-aged figure wearing a mask suddenly appeared in the room. When he looked up, he met Yi'er's gaze and was stunned for a moment.
Cui Xiu had already thought that this "Four-phase Robber Lord" might be fake, but he did not expect to see a young girl with a young and gentle face in the room.
His first reaction was to think that the robber had already fled in advance, leaving the first substitute here to disturb people.
"Damn...it's actually too late..."
Cui Xiu's face darkened. He raised his hand, appeared in front of the girl, and was about to slap her on the crown of her head.
He didn't care about the life or death of the girl at all. With the character of the "Four-phase Robber Lord", if he wanted to do something, he would do it perfectly. What could a substitute know?
It would be better for him to find it himself.
But at this moment, the anger of being teased by the "Four-phase Robber Lord" was naturally vented on this girl.
If he couldn't smash it to pieces with one palm, it would be difficult to resolve the anger in his heart at the moment.
But the next moment, the spiritual pattern of the "Dragon Trapping Formation" in the room instantly twisted, and another set of spiritual patterns hidden underneath emerged, taking over the original formation, and rushing towards Cui Xiu like a poisonous snake.
The target of the formation's spiritual pattern changed instantly and became Cui Xiu himself!
"What?!"
Cui Xiu was stunned, his pupils constricted, and he reacted immediately. He formed seals with his hands and frantically urged his spiritual power to try to seize control of the "Dragon Trapping Formation".
But the spiritual pattern of this formation was rewritten by Gu Fangchen himself, and the one controlling the core of the formation at this moment is still Prajna Lianyue. She is overwhelmingly superior in both technology and spiritual power. How could she allow Cui Xiu, a layman, to snatch it away?
Gu Fangchen pushed open the window and jumped in. Looking at Cui Xiu who was unable to move, he raised his eyebrows and smiled:
"Tsk tsk, even the renowned 'Yamala King' can be so embarrassed."
Cui Xiu took a deep breath. He didn’t know Yi’er, but there was no way he didn’t know Gu Fangchen.
As soon as he saw this face, he knew in his heart that he was doomed!
This guy not only pretended to be the "Four Phase Robbery Lord", but also knew the layout of the entire dock very clearly. He even knew the killer move like the "Dragon Trapping Formation"!
No, not only does he know it, he can also easily modify it!
This means that he knows the details of the entire "Dragon Trapping Formation" and where the key to the formation is hidden!
Moreover, he also knew Cui Xiu.
Cui Xiu was confident that even the "Four-phase Robber Lord" himself could not see that he had long harbored rebellious intentions.
After all, he worked diligently under the command of "Mie" Dao, and managed the entire Cao Gang successfully. Apart from his violent temperament, there was nothing wrong with him. He looked like a very typical "Mie" Daoist.
Moreover, for them who are “destroying” the Dao, it would be strange if they were not tyrannical in nature.
Is it because he is too normal that Gu Fangchen is cautious enough to set up such an ambush in advance?
This person is too perverted!
Cui Xiu buried his head under the dock, probably unable to figure out how Gu Fangchen had seen through his flaw!
In fact, the two women following him didn't understand either.
On the way here, Gu Fangchen said that the first person he wanted to get rid of when he went to the dock was Cui Xiu.
Gu Fangchen deliberately let Yier reveal this flaw.
With his understanding of the "Four-phase Tribulation Lord", how could he make such a low-level mistake?
Even if Yi'er doesn't act well, he can still do a double act or use some other methods to make the unlikeliness seem realistic.
But this time it wasn't necessary.
The less like Yier is, the more timid he appears to be, the better the effect will be.
Because Cui Xiu, this traitor, is an obstacle that must be eliminated.
If the player wants to help "destroy" Taoism and take the major side quest [Nine Netherworlds Coming to the World] to release all the evil spirits, the biggest obstacle is this traitor with a weak heart for Taoism.
Cui Xiu had long ago given up the path of "Nirvana" and was obsessed with power and wealth, not knowing what the world was.
As he watched the path of "destruction" getting closer and closer to success, he naturally became more and more anxious.
But the "Four-phase Lord of Disaster" was blocking him, which meant that he could do nothing at all.
Absolute strength can destroy all conspiracies and tricks.
In the original plot, he would not be exposed until the final stage of the Sea Kingdom, and the opportunity came when the "Four-phase Robber Lord" and the true dragon spirit summoned by the mermaid fought each other to a draw.
This is one of the reasons why big branches fail.
It is also difficult for players to get rid of him.
However, for Gu Fangchen now, it is not difficult at all.
Coincidentally, the recent disappearance of the "Four-phase Robber Lord" who was hunting him down made Cui Xiu's long-hidden thoughts stir.
This was exactly what Gu Fangchen wanted.
It can also kill two birds with one stone.
First, he cast a hook to lure Cui Xiu out, and then killed him in the name of cleaning up the traitors. This would actually clear his own suspicion and confirm his identity as the robber.
In this way, if Yier has any flaws in the future, he can get away with it by using the same "fishing enforcement" reason.
Because the same thing has happened before, people below naturally won’t think about it anymore due to preconceived impressions.
This is a case of retreating in order to advance.
Cui Xiu was naturally unwilling to die inexplicably at the hands of Gu Fangchen. His expression became increasingly ferocious, and since the "Dragon Trapping Formation" had not yet completely closed and taken effect, he bent his fingers and formed seals instantly.
"burst!"
All the blood in Cui Xiu's body instantly turned into blood-red flames, burning himself.
The fire engulfed the entire room in the blink of an eye, spreading outward like a grand explosion.
This flame is his true fire, and its power is comparable to Wu Hui's Golden Crow Fire. The two are considered equally famous.
This is also the source of his title "Yamala King".
The power of this flame cannot be underestimated. Coupled with Cui Xiu's self-explosion, Gu Fangchen had to take a step back and resist it with his own burning energy.
And at this moment, a small bunch of fire jumped in the flames and escaped outwards under the cover.
This ray of flame was none other than Cui Xiu's soul.
However, the next moment, a white and tender little hand stretched out from the flame and grabbed the flame.
Cui Xiu's soul skipped a beat and his heart felt cold, but he saw a smiling face in his sight.
The girl whispered:
"Do I look like a real Four Phase Tribulation Lord?"
————
ps: I will post it first and revise it later. I didn’t write 8,000 words… but I tried my best to write 6,000 words orz
(End of this chapter)
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