Chapter 78 Blasphemy 27. Where does your wicked power come from? ...
This attack enraged the authoritative voice.
"Evil god, cease your rampage!"
Amidst the roar, a brilliant golden light shone at the foot of Wangqiu Mountain. The disciples of the Imperial Preceptor carried together an extremely magnificent three-tiered coffin. The yellow talismans on the coffin fell away, revealing a small deity statue with one hand holding the moon and the other holding up the sun, its upper body like a human and its lower body like a fish.
The small statue's eyes gleamed with golden light, and in the blink of an eye, an illusory figure stepped out, growing taller in the wind.
Upon seeing this, everyone at the foot of the mountain, whether soldiers or servants, prostrated themselves in awe.
"Welcome, Venerable Xu Ming!"
"Welcome, Celestial Venerable Xu Ming!"
Amidst the thunderous shouts of worship, a colossal Dharma image, over three hundred feet tall, appeared, its golden light radiating infinitely, almost turning the vast night clouds into a magnificent sunrise.
The entire Wangqiu Mountain was only about two hundred feet tall. When the avatar of the Celestial Venerable Xu Ming appeared and stood by the mountain and the water, the mountain seemed not to be a mountain at all, but a mound of earth, and the river seemed not to be a river at all, but just a winding stream.
Chu Shenxiang's Dharma form, a hundred feet tall, had already astonished the four counties of Yushui and even half of Xiling several days ago. Now, even a single avatar of Xu Tianming Venerable far surpasses it, standing a full three hundred feet tall. Is there any need to wait and see the outcome?
The difference in quality is immediately apparent!
The neighboring county's Fusheng King, secretly observing the scene through his followers, was alarmed: "Even Xu Ming's divided spirit is like this, let alone his true form? The Great Goddess Tongtian is far inferior to Him; her death was truly not unjust! It seems I must make plans sooner rather than later; offering some incense is worse than losing my life..."
"Xu Mingtian Venerable's spirit is here, evil god, why don't you surrender immediately!" Xu Ming drove Ming Yin's body, leaped down from the chariot, and challenged him with an air of complete obedience to Xu Mingtian Venerable.
If Chu Shenxiang hadn't already learned something was wrong from the Great Goddess Tongtian and hadn't investigated carefully afterward, she really wouldn't have been able to tell that they were actually played by the same person.
Looking at Shen Mingxin, who was holding a sword behind the hall, his face full of worry and determination, Chu Shenxiang raised her finger and sent a divine sense to comfort and protect him. At the same time, she stood up, casually put down a bronze mirror that was placed on her lap, and then took a step forward, and her Dharma form rose up with a roar.
A handsome, aloof, and ethereal figure appeared amidst the light of the sky and the shadows of the mountains. He possessed neither a majestic presence nor astonishing brilliance, appearing as natural as grass and trees, as serene as mountains and wilderness. Yet, in this very manner, everything around him had changed.
The wind fell silent, the moon dimmed, and the stars drooped, as if bowing their heads to touch the rocky fingertips, timidly begging for mercy.
The mountains form a divine platform, and the stars and moon become a crown.
The gods merely open their eyes, and all things bow silently before them.
"A god with a mouth of Buddha and a heart of a snake, turning black into white, trying to judge me, how could my crime be my fault?" Chu Shenxiang spoke, her voice solitary and cold, like a gleaming blade cleaving through the dark night.
The Mingyin Puppet sneered: "A mere country bumpkin god with a hundred-zhang Dharma form dares to question the Heavenly Venerable? Die quickly!"
The more he said, the more mistakes he made. Xu Ming was eager to obtain Chu Shenxiang's secrets, but he couldn't bear to deal with him. As long as he used a pretext to capture her, the truth afterward would be entirely up to them to decide.
As soon as he finished speaking, the Mingyin Puppet flung out its whisk.
The small statue in Chenchou's arms also trembled, and the Dharma image of Spring Mountain appeared, which was also a hundred feet tall.
King Fusheng trembled as he hugged his enormous statue, which was several tens of feet tall. How could such a small place as Xiling be so full of hidden talents!
Almost simultaneously, Xu Ming also made his move while distracted.
He stood high above, his eyes filled with disdain, and with a raised palm, he transformed into the vast sky, pressing down with the power of heaven and earth in an instant.
This palm strike was as if the sky were collapsing.
Whether viewed from afar or up close, whether mortal or divine, all trembled, their very souls filled with terror, unable to resist this overwhelming power.
"Xu Tianzun is truly formidable!"
"My God, they've already started fighting?"
Countless exclamations rang out throughout Xiling.
That's right, it's not Yu County, but Xiling.
If Xu Ming had eyes that could see a thousand miles and ears that could hear the wind, he would be astonished to discover that in many places in the thirteen counties of Xiling, whether in the countryside or in the county towns, a sky curtain resembling a water mirror had suddenly appeared out of thin air, hanging high in the sky, simultaneously reflecting everything that was happening at Wangqiu Mountain in Yu County.
Countless people were awakened in the night.
At first, they were quite surprised to see the sky suddenly brighten in the middle of the night. They were cautious, fearing that some kind of demon was appearing. After observing for a while and finding nothing harmful, and hearing the names being called out, they finally peered out and began to talk and discuss.
Many people couldn't understand what was happening in the sky, but since it was such a strange and harmless event, they wanted to join in the fun. Besides, there were always knowledgeable people willing to explain, and in a few words, they would understand that it was a battle of divine powers.
The battle of gods is something ordinary people might never witness in several lifetimes, so how could they not be curious?
Driven by such curiosity, they wouldn't even sleep, just staring intently. The entire village, young and old, and men and women from all over town, gathered there.
"A battle of gods? Is it real? We're hundreds of miles away from Wangqiu Mountain, how could we possibly see it? And what kind of treasure is this water mirror, that it's suspended in the sky?"
"You yourself said it's a treasure. It's not surprising that you can see it from a hundred miles away, is it? Those are gods. How do you know what kind of abilities they have? As for whether it's true or not, we don't know right now. In a few days, news will come. This is a battle of gods, and one of them is even the Celestial Venerable Xu Ming!"
"That makes sense... By the way, who exactly is this Shen Xiangjun who fought against Xu Mingtian Venerable?"
"Wangqiu Mountain belongs to Yu County, so it must be a local deity of Yu County, right? Such an evil god harms the people, it is truly despicable!"
"Didn't Shenxiangjun say that she was wronged?"
"Do you believe in such an unknown minor god, or in the Heavenly Venerable Xu Tian who has been slaying demons and monsters throughout the Nine Provinces for hundreds of years?"
"Naturally, it is Venerable Xu Tian!"
"Living in a remote corner, with few even hearing of its name, it possesses such a powerful Dharma form. It must have stolen countless offerings and consumed human sacrifices! I hope the Heavenly Venerable will swiftly slay this evil god and restore peace to Xiling..."
Similar conversations took place in many places where the sky was suspended.
This battle between the gods of Wangqiu Mountain was broadcast live to the entire Xiling without Xu Ming and the others' knowledge, leaving no room for secrecy whatsoever.
However, even if they knew this now, they probably wouldn't care, since the people of Xiling were calling out the name Xu Ming, not Shen Xiang. They supported Him, not Chu Shen Xiang.
"With such a siege, that evil god is doomed!"
Some people shouted with joy, as if they could already see the ending.
At this moment, facing such a massive and powerful attack from three parties, Chu Shenxiang, who was in the middle of the situation, did not change her expression in the slightest.
He carried a white lotus lantern, stood on a giant black arm like a python, his green robes fluttered in the wind without being disordered, only his sleeves were slightly wrinkled, and he extended his left palm, his fingers forming a sword, and suddenly pointed forward.
The next moment, the white mist, the spring branches, and the dazzling golden light suddenly stopped.
Then, a hazy blue light appeared, and the white mist, spring branches, and golden light were all shaken back, exploding into endless ripples.
The Mingyin puppet was severely injured, coughing up blood and flying backward. Chunshan Gong screamed in agony, and Fa Xiangxiang was crushed by the giant chariot, shattering into pieces. Only Xu Ming's distraction remained unharmed, only taking a step back, his golden light dimming slightly.
"How is this possible!"
The gods, demons, and monsters watching the sky from afar, as well as the soldiers and civilians currently on Wangqiu Mountain, were all terrified.
Shen Chou was even more surprised and uncertain, and his face turned pale.
"What is that?!"
He huddled behind the carriage, dumbfounded, staring at the cyan runes that had been revealed with a single finger from Chu Shenxiang.
They are like divine chains descending from the sky, surrounding the entire Wangqiu Mountain and separating it into a pale blue world that seems unbreakable.
"It's a formation!"
Chunshan Gong cried out in pain.
"A formation?" King Fusheng, stunned by what he had just witnessed, exclaimed in surprise, "We've seen formations before, but none are this intricate and powerful! Even the most skilled gods who study formations can only lightly drizzle in a wheat field to amuse mortals..."
"Formation..."
Xu Ming did not doubt Chunshan Gong's judgment.
Shenxiangjun is a strange and wild god. He possesses a clear and bright aura and profound magic that he and Xuyin have been trying to develop for two hundred years but have failed to achieve. It would not be surprising if he were to add a grand formation that far surpasses the level of formations in the world today.
He could already imagine the enormous and surprising gains that would come after they killed Shen Xiangjun and obtained his secrets.
He even had a premonition that perhaps this wild god was the greatest opportunity of his life.
The prerequisite is that He can break through His formation and kill Him.
It's actually not difficult.
One force can overcome ten techniques. No matter how many tricks Shen Xiangjun has, the difference of two hundred feet between their divine forms cannot be faked. His divine power is far weaker than mine, so killing him is inevitable.
If He didn't have such confidence, why would He come directly to Wangqiu Mountain instead of leading Chu Shenxiang away?
"A mere trick," Xu Ming sneered, distracted. "Let's see how long you can hold out!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he sent out the sun and moon from his hands, which hung high above Wangqiu Mountain. At the same time, he pressed down with both palms and grabbed at the streaks of blue runes.
Countless runes exploded and then quickly regenerated, making it quite difficult for the giant hand to move forward.
The Mingyin puppet rose from the ground and, upon seeing this, cried out, "Drip blood!"
"Drip blood!"
"Drip of blood—!"
As the sound spread, the soldiers closest to Wangqiu Mountain immediately drew their swords as if receiving a military order, decisively slashing their own arms and splattering their blood onto the ground in front of them.
The disciples of the Imperial Preceptor unleashed their treasures and released their divine power to attack the formation together.
Chenchou gritted his teeth, cut his finger, and spat out a bead of blood.
Chu Shenxiang watched these people's actions, her eyelashes lowered slightly, concealing the strange look in her eyes.
He thought he would have to exchange a few more blows and pay a price before he could draw in the auras of these people, but to his surprise, they were even more impatient than he was, and couldn't wait any longer, so they went all out and rushed in all at once.
This saved him a lot of trouble.
Chu Shenxiang ignored the powerful attacks and the constantly shattering cyan runes, her eyes flashing as she used her Heavenly Eye technique to scan her surroundings and observe the evil power of the people below the mountain.
Upon reaching a certain spot, his gaze paused, and he slightly bowed his head, asking a Shenzhao Kingdom soldier who was dripping blood, "Where does the evil energy within you come from?"
Xu Ming and the others were taken aback by what they saw.
At this moment, instead of fighting back or defending, you start chatting with people as if it were nothing.
As Chunshan Gong stood up again and launched a full-scale attack, for a moment he thought he was still dreaming and had not yet woken up.
However, what happened next was even more unbelievable.
The soldier being questioned looked up in terror, as if about to shout, but when he opened his mouth, he uttered a string of words: "I have countless evil powers, why are you asking which one came from?"
"The biggest thing is killing people, but these days there aren't many battles, so how easy is it to earn military merit? It's easier to kill innocent people and claim credit for it. Scouts find a few remote and honest villages, we storm in, behead the men, tie up the women and then kill them, stew the children, and use the old people to light candles—it's all fun."
"As for the youngest, did he slap my parents a few times before I joined the army? Who told them they couldn't afford to let me get married again? I've already said I'll live a good life this time and won't ruin my bride again..."
The soldier grew increasingly terrified as he spoke, hastily trying to cover his mouth, but it continued to move uncontrollably, uttering candid truths.
But before he could say anything more, a flash of cold light appeared, and his head flew off, blood gushing out like a pillar.
The hidden puppet, sword in hand, glared angrily: "How dare such demonic magic disrupt my soldiers!"
"Magic?"
Chu Shenxiang looked at him and said, "Xu Mingtian Venerable, if you were to come in a divided spirit or in your true form, you would naturally be unable to respond to me. But right now, you are in the body of Mingyin, which you have refined into a puppet. How can you stop me?"
"Xu Ming, where does your evil power come from?"
The Mingyin Puppet suddenly paled, but reacted extremely quickly, immediately attempting to seal its mouth with a treasure.
But this was clearly useless.
His mouth still opened decisively, and he uttered a sound: "My karmic power is countless, the greatest of which was in the midst of war, when Xu Yin and I secretly created many demons to establish our reputation, orchestrated the massacre of Luofeng County, and then eliminated them one by one. The least noteworthy thing is that I refined this Ming Yin into a puppet..."
Before he could finish speaking, the Mingyin Puppet's eyes went blank, and he suddenly struck his own crown with a palm, losing consciousness or dying.
Chunshan Gong, who was about to unleash a torrent of curses, suddenly stopped.
Even Mingyin, controlled by Xu Mingyi's divine sense, couldn't withstand it, let alone himself, who was slightly inferior.
Chunshan Gong couldn't figure out what Chu Shenxiang had done, and he couldn't avoid it even if he wanted to, fearing that he would be the next one to be targeted.
But sometimes, what you fear most is exactly what happens.
This time, Chu Shenxiang didn't ask them one by one. Instead, she focused her gaze on the area around the carriage and addressed Chunshan Gong, Chen Chou, and the many disciples of the Imperial Preceptor, asking them together, "Where does your karmic power come from?"
As soon as he uttered the words, Lord Chunshan felt a barely perceptible pull, like the force of cause and effect, trying to draw out his true thoughts hidden deep within his heart. His expression changed drastically, and he mobilized all his divine power, fiercely slashing at the force of cause and effect.
But the cause and effect are so profound, how can they be severed so easily?
Chunshan Gong heard his own voice, his deep, resonant voice, and the voices of several disciples of the Imperial Preceptor around him.
"I am Xu Yin. I was killed by Xu Ming twelve years ago and reborn as the Wild God of Xiling, Chunshan Gong. To obtain incense offerings and to vent my evil, I often kill mortals and then reappear to save them..."
"I am a pitiful person, helpless and alone in the Shen family. The greatest sins I have committed in my life are nothing more than slaughtering some young children as human sacrifices, peeling off the faces of a few beauties, taking away this body, and drugging Shen Mingxin."
"Why is he so lucky? It's all because his grandfather went into the tomb and angered demons. His grandfather is still alive today, while my grandfather died young. If it weren't for that, I would definitely be a young master who grew up enjoying a life of leisure. Why would I bother to seize the Shen family's wealth..."
"I have a beautiful young man, whom I often trick and kidnap, then kill after I've had my fun, burying his bones in my courtyard..."
"I obeyed my master's orders, and for the sake of the incense offerings and reputation of the Celestial Venerable Xu Ming, I often disguised myself as a demon with precious items and stormed several villages..."
"I really love watching those lowly people kowtow. They're all incredibly stupid. A few words of coaxing and they'd be willing to have their hearts gouged out and their eyes gouged out, and they'd even drown their own children with their own hands..."
Dozens of voices, varying in pitch and distinct in their own way, yet clamoring and clamoring together. Separated by differing selfish motives, united by a cacophony of malice.
"Enough!"
Distracted, Xu Ming shouted fiercely, and the golden light suddenly expanded, causing blood to splatter near the carriage, with many people either unconscious or dead.
The others screamed in terror and shrank back, whether out of fear of getting their hands dirty with the blood or of hearing the candid words.
"Don't think that you can fabricate the truth and muddy the world by bewitching them with sorcery!" Xu Ming said coldly, his attention diverted. The golden light fell again, transforming into a protective barrier that could isolate external sounds and causal spells.
He was confident that he had figured out the trick of Chu Shenxiang's method.
Chu Shenxiang remained indifferent: "If it's false, why is the Heavenly Venerable in such a hurry? If you have nothing to hide, why are you afraid of my questioning?"
Through the golden light barrier, Chu Shenxiang looked to the other side and asked again, "Where does your evil power come from?"
The Divine Illumination soldiers, unable to control themselves, began to speak again.
The golden light barrier had no effect whatsoever.
Seeing this, Xu Ming suddenly smiled, neither annoyed nor stopping him.
"Even if what they say is true, and all the people around have heard it, so what?" He said, "At worst, after dealing with you, I'll slaughter Yu County. If that's not enough, I'll wipe out all four counties along the Yu River. All I have to do is say that the evil god Shen Xiangjun caused trouble, and that will be the end of it. What can you do about it?"
"The strong prey on the weak; that's just how the world is!"
Upon hearing this, the mortals in Xiling, under the sky, who were initially stunned by the sudden and unexpected truths, were suddenly taken aback, and then erupted in uproar.
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