☆, Chapter 57 Holy Tomb Dungeon 2
Tianlangjun said with a smile, "I have long admired the Peak Master."
Shen Qingqiu deeply realized that magnanimity is not something that can be simply attributed to being overpowered; it still depends on family background and upbringing.
Putting everything else aside, if you put this father and son in the same coffin and strike the same pose, Tianlang Jun can exude the elegance of royalty, while Luo Binghe, although handsome... well, he'll probably just look like a coffin.
Being in the same space as two inheritors of the Heavenly Demon bloodline, and with many other demon nobles, both fresh and dried, watching in this space, Shen Qingqiu felt immense pressure.
He gave a forced smile and said, "I dare not accept such praise. Since you have long admired this place, why don't you... come out for a gathering?"
No matter how much you try to show off, it's just too much to do while sitting in a coffin. Unless—
He couldn't stand up.
Tianlangjun tapped the edge of the coffin slowly and rhythmically with his fingers, his pupils reflecting the flickering eerie green light of the tomb chamber.
He said cheerfully, "Alright. Could you please lend me a hand, Peak Master?"
Something's fishy! Something's definitely fishy!
Even if it's a trap, you have to bite the bullet and go for it. Shen Qingqiu slightly bowed and extended a hand to him: "Please?"
Tianlang Jun gladly helped him up.
So it wasn't to hide some weakness after all. Shen Qingqiu was slightly disappointed.
Then, it came up empty.
But he could clearly still feel Tianlang Jun's forearm in his hand. Shen Qingqiu turned his gaze downwards and looked down.
It is indeed still being held, but only one forearm remains.
Shen Qingqiu remained expressionless.
Despite losing a section of his arm and having half a sleeve missing, Tianlang-jun remained very polite: "Ah. It's broken again. Please trouble the Peak Master to hand it to me."
Shen Qingqiu: "..."
Damn it!
How terrifying!!!
Are you some kind of doll? Can your joints be disassembled at will?!
Despite her trembling heart, Shen Qingqiu calmly handed the severed forearm to Tianlang Jun. The latter and Zhuzhilang both looked completely unfazed; with a snap—literally a snap!—the arm was reattached! Reattached!
Tianlangjun moved the part he had just reconnected and smiled, saying, "You flatter me."
Shen Qingqiu noticed that not only at the severed point, but also in many other parts of his arm, the veins and flesh had turned purplish-black, which looked particularly horrifying against his pale skin. Even below his collar, a faint patch of dark black extended out.
Shen Qingqiu pondered for a moment and said, "Lu Huazhi."
His butterfly flapping its wings caused more than just a tsunami.
My initial guess was that Zhuzhilang probably used Luhuazhi to shape Tianlangjun's body, and I was right.
However, Tianlang Jun probably doesn't quite like using this body sculpted from the Sun and Moon Dew Flower.
The reason why Shen Qingqiu's soul and Lu Zhi are well-matched is twofold: first, Lu Zhi was nurtured by his blood and energy; second, Lu Zhi is a spiritual energy crop, and Shen Qingqiu also cultivates based on spiritual energy, so the two are perfectly compatible in terms of attributes.
However, Tianlangjun's situation was different.
He is a demon, and his cultivation is based on demonic energy. Lu Huazhi would have a spontaneous rejection reaction, and the preservation of her physical body could not be guaranteed. It is not impossible for his body to be eroded like this.
Tianlang-jun doesn't shy away from this topic at all.
"That's right. In fact, Peak Master Shen deserves some credit for our ability to leave Bailu Mountain."
Shen Qingqiu glanced at Zhuzhilang, who stood silently to the side, recalling his appearance in Bailu Forest back then, which was truly... extremely bad. It was simply unbearable to look at. Yet even so, during the years when Tianlangjun was suppressed by the high mountain, he never left Bailu Mountain. When he obtained the Dew Ganoderma, he didn't use it for himself, but instead used it without hesitation to help his master reshape his body.
What a magnificent hymn to loyalty!
Shen Qingqiu answered aloud, but his eyes were scanning the murals in the tomb hall out of the corner of his eye.
He said absentmindedly, "The credit lies with Xi... Bamboo Branch Gentleman. After years of lying low in Bailu Mountain, he has finally gotten his chance. With such a capable subordinate, Lord Tianlang is truly the envy of all."
Tianlangjun said, "Haven't you heard my nephew's motto before?"
Shen Qingqiu said, "I've heard of it. A drop of kindness deserves a spring of gratitude."
Zhu Zhilang blushed, looking quite eerie in the dim green candlelight, and said, "Master Chen, please don't make fun of me."
Shen Qingqiu didn't make fun of him; he was focused on studying the mural.
The mural is brightly colored and the brushstrokes are wild and unrestrained, but you can see that facing the entrance of the main hall is a huge woman's face with curved eyes and upturned corners of her mouth, looking extremely happy.
Shen Qingqiu secretly deduced that this tomb hall was undoubtedly the "Hall of Joy" among the three sacred halls of the Holy Mausoleum representing "joy, anger, and sorrow".
This information will be very useful.
Tianlang-jun, unaware of anything amiss, said, "That's just how he is; he can't think straight. That's why he kept begging me to bring you to the Demon Realm."
Shen Qingqiu couldn't understand this logic. After a moment of clarity, she glanced at Zhuzhilang and asked, "What does bringing me to the Demon Realm have to do with repaying a debt of gratitude?"
Tianlangjun calmly replied, "Of course there is a connection. Since none of the four major sects can be left behind, if Peak Master Shen is still in the Cangqiong Mountain Sect, then he is also within this scope. Naturally, he doesn't want you to stay there."
Shen Qingqiu didn't know what to say.
I thought this guy seemed reasonable just a moment ago, but now... he's no different from any other ambitious big, medium, or small boss. Their goal is the same: "Destroy the world and wipe out the good guys."
However, to be fair, it's understandable that a fine young man from the Demon Realm, harboring love for humanity, would harbor resentment after being suppressed for so many years for no reason. Shen Qingqiu remained silent for a moment, then cooperatively asked, "Is the next step to exterminate the entire human race?"
Tianlang asked curiously, "Why do you think that? Of course not. I like people. I just don't like the four major sects."
He smiled and said, "I have a gift to give to the human world."
"A gift." Hehe.
It's definitely not something that can make you feel happy by tying ribbons on it! Shen Qingqiu was about to complain when suddenly, the tomb hall was hit by an unexpected tremor.
Sand and gravel rained down from the sky. Shen Qingqiu stood firmly, but the ground swayed violently. He could faintly hear the earth-shattering roar of some creature in the distance. He asked warily, "What is that?"
Tianlang listened intently for a moment, then said, "They arrived faster than I expected." He turned to Zhuzhilang: "How many?"
Zhu Zhilang said, "At least two hundred."
Tianlang Jun laughed and said, "Catching ten is already quite an achievement, it must have been really difficult for him."
Shen Qingqiu couldn't understand, and it seemed they didn't intend to communicate with him to make him understand. Tianlangjun brushed a wisp of sand off his shoulder and said, "Peak Master Shen, my nephew risked his life to help you sever all ties with the Cangqiong Mountain Sect. What do you think? Are you willing to go with him?"
They've practically kidnapped someone to their ancestral graveyard, what's the point of asking questions?
No... cut in two?
Shen Qingqiu's heart skipped a beat, and he blurted out, "Jinlan City, the Seed Sower. Is this the opportunity that will force me to sever all ties with the Cangqiong Mountain Sect?"
He had severed all ties. After much thought, he realized he was now trapped in a mountain he couldn't return to, and the root of it all began in Jinlan City.
Shen Qingqiu questioned, word by word: "Was it you who arranged for that seed sower who suddenly pointed at me?"
Zhu Zhilang lowered his head. Tianlangjun patted his shoulder, as if to encourage him: "That was originally just a small experiment to solve the food shortage of the demons in the Southern Frontier. I didn't expect that Peak Master Shen would be there. He just wanted to make Peak Master Shen completely give up the idea of returning to the human world."
Shen Qingqiu immediately glared angrily at the bamboo branch boy.
So this is what they meant by repaying a debt of gratitude? Hiring a sower to smear him? What a rip-off! The snake's promise of repayment is truly unreliable!
Zhu Zhilang said in a low voice, "Master Shen, His Majesty said that if he wants to wipe out the four major sects, he will not leave a single one alive... I truly mean it..."
Suppressing his anger, Shen Qingqiu said, "Did you also bring the begonia here?"
Tianlangjun said, "I don't know her." He glanced at Zhuzhilang, who immediately looked at Shen Qingqiu: "That woman was not found by me."
The sudden appearance of the begonia and the sower flanked Shen Qingqiu, forcing him to willingly be taken to the water dungeon by the Illusion Flower Palace. Was it just a coincidence?
"Whether it's all right or not doesn't matter anymore." Shen Qingqiu asked, "What other reasons are there?"
Tianlangjun said slowly, "I do have my own selfish reasons for summoning Peak Master Chen here."
He sighed and said, "My son has truly been taken good care of by Peak Master Shen over the years."
It was indeed for Luo Binghe.
Although she had a premonition that it was related to him, Shen Qingqiu still felt a tightness in her heart.
Shen Qingqiu forced himself to stay alert and said, "Luo Binghe? What does that have to do with him?"
Tianlang chuckled and lowered his head, saying, "How should I put it? I've noticed that he's very..."
His words were ambiguous and even irrelevant, yet Shen Qingqiu could easily make a series of connections and inferences.
The longer Tianlangjun uses this body, the stronger the demonic energy becomes, and the more his cultivation recovers, the more damaged his physical body will become, patched up everywhere. Sooner or later, he will need a new body.
They are related by blood. Both are inheritors of the Heavenly Demon bloodline, and due to their mixed blood, they possess two systems.
Whose body is more suitable than Luo Binghe's?
Shen Qingqiu narrowed his eyes: "You summoned me back to life to lure him to the Sacred Mausoleum?"
Tianlangjun said, "Peak Master Shen is truly a wise man."
Shen Qingqiu reminded him, "Luo Binghe hasn't taken your original seat yet, so he can't enter the Holy Mausoleum. Even if he wanted to come, he couldn't."
Tianlang Jun seemed to have great confidence in him, saying, "If he wants to, he will definitely be able to come."
Shen Qingqiu said slowly, "No matter what you want to do, that's your son."
Tianlangjun said, "Indeed."
"Your biological son with Su Xiyan."
Tianlangjun asked, "So?"
Hearing this, Shen Qingqiu finally became certain.
In the few words Tianlang-jun spoke of Luo Binghe, although his smile remained, his words and expression revealed a cold and ruthless nature.
The genuine Tianlang Jun was vastly different from the peace-loving and deeply affectionate image Shen Qingqiu had previously held in his mind. His tone didn't even tremble when he mentioned Su Xiyan. He liked to refer to Luo Binghe as "my son," but showed absolutely no sign of having any concept of fatherhood with him.
He was not only not a peace lover, but also not a romantic idealist. This completely overturned Shen Qingqiu's long-held (wishful thinking) perception.
This is actually normal; demons are inherently detached and indifferent to emotions, prioritizing sustenance and worshipping power and strength. However, such a nonchalant attitude was still somewhat unsettling for Shen Qingqiu.
Luo Binghe is truly... unloved by both his father and mother [candle].
Especially considering that Shen Qingqiu had been pinning the blame for Jin Lancheng on Luo Binghe for so long, and that the boy had been wronged and ignored despite his repeated attempts to defend himself, and that he had even beaten him up not long ago when they had just separated.
Shen Qingqiu genuinely felt... a little sorry for him.
Just as the tomb fell into a deathly silence, a second wave of roars from a hundred beasts and earth-shaking tremors shattered the still waters.
This time, the attack was even more ferocious, almost threatening to cause the heavens and earth to collapse. Even with his stable stance, Shen Qingqiu could no longer stand. He leaned against the coffin with one hand and asked, "Can anyone tell me what this thing is?"
Before the words "What?" could be finished, large sections of the jewel-encrusted ceiling above the tomb hall suddenly collapsed. The three people inside reacted quickly, moving far away. With a loud crash, something heavy fell, landing in the very center of the tomb hall. Amidst billowing dust and flashing crystals, a colossal black shadow appeared.
Luo Binghe stood atop a colossal, jet-black beast, his black robes billowing in the white dust. The Heart Demon Sword was drawn from its sheath behind him, and his eyes gleamed with crimson light as he surveyed the scene below with murderous intent.
At first glance, the giant beast resembled a rhinoceros, with a single horn curved like a crescent moon on its head. But when it opened its mouth and let out a long roar, a coiled crimson python emerged from its blood-red mouth. The rhinoceros's roar mixed with the python's hiss, creating a truly awe-inspiring sight.
Real! Black! Moon! Python! Rhinoceros!
Black + Moon + Python + Rhinoceros. So Black Moon Python Rhinoceros is simply a combination of these four elements! As always, the naming style of "Sky-High Flying Chicory" is straightforward!
Zhu Zhilang immediately and dutifully stepped in front of Tianlang Jun, and also in front of Shen Qingqiu. Upon seeing Luo Binghe, Shen Qingqiu instinctively leaned closer to Zhu Zhilang's back.
He felt guilty, truly guilty, and he really didn't know how to face this unfortunate child.
He dared not even imagine what Luo Binghe would feel as he watched his body wither away. He could only bury his head in the sand and pretend that out of sight, out of mind.
Tianlang Jun raised an eyebrow, a gesture that bore a striking resemblance to Luo Binghe's: "You went so far as to capture two hundred Black Moon Python Rhinoceroses to break the Holy Tomb's barrier. Peak Master Shen, my son is truly different to you."
Shen Qingqiu had no rebuttal. These were rare magical beasts from the original novel that could roar open even the Abyss of No Return. In order to break through the Holy Tomb, Luo Binghe actually managed to capture two hundred of them at once.
Luo Binghe leaped down from the python-rhinoceros's head with a grim face. The giant beast seemed to have exhausted its strength and could no longer hold on, collapsing to the ground with a thud. He stared intently at Shen Qingqiu, his eyes blazing with anger, looking both furious and on the verge of tears.
Shen Qingqiu suddenly realized that his action of slipping behind Zhuzhilang just now looked too much like he was disgusted by Luo Binghe!
After the dust settled, Shen Qingqiu could finally see that Luo Binghe had entered the Sacred Mausoleum alone. The Sacred Mausoleum was both a holy land and a forbidden area for the demon race, and native demons would hold it in awe and dare not violate it. This was a matter of faith, and no one dared to come with him, so he could only go alone.
Shen Qingqiu finally shouted, "Go back!"
Standing here is none other than the protagonist's father, whom even the original author has acknowledged as someone for whom he "doesn't know how to let the protagonist defeat him"!
Luo Binghe didn't answer. He raised his hand and threw out the Xiuya Sword. After Shen Qingqiu caught it, he turned to the other two people in the tomb hall, holding two balls of fierce, churning demonic energy in his palms. With a flash, he sent them directly to them.
They've already started fighting?!
Luo Binghe struck Zhuzhilang in the abdomen with his left hand, sending him flying without a doubt. His right hand then rammed into Tianlangjun.
Shen Qingqiu stared intently at the scene.
Tianlangjun caught it! Without taking a step back, he gently slashed down with his backhand, grazing Luo Binghe's shoulder.
Shen Qingqiu swore that he heard the sound of bones breaking from Luo Binghe's body.
As if to verify this, Luo Binghe blinked, and without warning, a mouthful of blood gushed out.
His entire chin, neck, and chest were stained with blood, which was still dripping onto the ground. Luo Binghe wiped his mouth, still looking somewhat bewildered.
Honestly, he hadn't experienced the feeling of being injured and coughing up blood in a long time.
Say it! Yes! The! Male! Protagonist! Is! Cheat! Powerful! Invincible! And! Is! The! Law! Indestructible!?
So now they've switched from being a pain to a pain to their son!
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