Although I didn't know why, I felt awkward. It was as though I had done something wrong to Lu Zhenyang. I laughed dryly and ignored him.
President Gu finally reacted. He frowned and walked over. He placed his hand on my chest. It was obvious that he was checking the Veins of the Heaven seal.
Just as I had expected, the Veins of the Heaven seal hadn't disappeared. President Gu only checked it briefly before letting go of my hand. He turned to look at Lu Ziyang and said, "Since the remnant of the witch race isn't dead, it'll be easier to explain to the old president. The Daoist friends from Mount Longhu have been waiting for a long time. Let's head over."
After saying that, he walked away. I immediately followed behind him. When I passed by Lu Ziyang and Lu Zhenyang, they were glaring at me with murderous gazes. However, I didn't care. I smiled at them and hastily returned to the Metaphysics Society's encampment.
The six Daoist priests from Mount Longhu were waiting for us. I didn't mind them and hurried to sit next to Nangong and the little zombie. Zhang Kanwen was lying on the ground next to them. He was still unconscious.
After I sat down, I lowered my head to check on Zhang Kanwen's condition. At this moment, my cultivation had mostly recovered. I could easily sense that Zhang Kanwen's life wasn't in danger. It was just that the wound on his chest was too serious, so he was still unconscious.
I relaxed and heaved a sigh of relief. Nangong faintly said to me, "When that person lured you over, I thought that you had already seen through his intentions. Who knew that you would be so stupid?
Tell me, what happened in that cave? "
His voice was calm. It seemed that he was reprimanding me for being stupid, but the concern in his words was obvious.
I smiled and replied, "It's just a deep hole. It's about 20 meters deep. Besides some inscriptions that I don't understand, there's nothing else. I fell down and it took me a lot of effort to climb up."
After saying that, I licked the wound on my lower lip that hadn't healed yet and spat blood on the ground beside me.
The reason why I didn't tell the whole truth and pretended to show my wound was because we were currently very close to the Metaphysics Society's Heavenly Teachers. Even though this place blocked off spiritual senses, it was too easy for them to hear our conversation with their cultivation.
Hearing that, Nangong smiled and didn't ask any further. I wonder if he saw through my apprehension.
I turned to look at President Gu. He seemed to have moved his eyes away from me. He was talking to the Daoist priest from Mount Longhu.
I paid no attention to their affairs, though I caught a vague mention of the word "key."
I couldn't help but recall what Han Wennan had told me before.
Judging from Nangong's reaction and President Gu's discussion, Han Wennan didn't lie to me. The Metaphysics Society, Longhu Mountain, and the Buddhists and Daoists had come to fight for the key.
However, he didn't know why these people from the Metaphysics Association and Mount Longhu were so close. Could it be that they were going to join forces?
I didn't care if they joined hands or not. After a few glances, I turned my head away. However, when I glanced at the other side, I saw the group of monks and the people from the Taoist Association sitting together. I was surprised. This was a Western scene. The Buddhist Association, which had always been at odds with each other, was now living in harmony with the Taoist Association. It was a rare sight.
Almost everyone knew that Buddhism and Daoism couldn't coexist. Although it wasn't as cruel as the war between witchcraft and Daoism, the struggle between Buddhism and Daoism had never ceased since ancient times. The war between Buddhism and Daoism during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, and the 'Three Martial Arts Destroyed Buddhism.' All these proved that Buddhism and Daoism couldn't coexist.
Until now, the relationship between Buddhism and Daoism hadn't been as harmonious as that between the Metaphysics Association and the Daoist Association. They didn't interact with each other. I didn't expect that they could sit together and talk without any animosity.
I looked at the Metaphysics Association and Mount Longhu, then at the Buddhist Association and the Daoist Association. It was obvious that the two opposing factions had gathered. I just didn't know which side would gain the upper hand in the upcoming battle.
While I was deep in thought, a kind-looking old monk from the Buddhist Association clasped his palms together and nodded at me with a smile.
I was bewildered. I hurried to return the greeting. I suddenly remembered Miao Jue, the monk I had met in Shenzhen. He was the Buddhist Scripture Master of the Reclining Buddha Temple. He also held a position in the Buddhist Association.
Did this old monk know Miao Jue? That's why he smiled at me.
It wasn't good to talk to him at this moment. However, after thinking about Miao Jue, I had a good impression of the Buddhist Association. Although I was from the Metaphysics Association, which was more inclined to Daoism, the Metaphysics Association, Mount Longhu, and the other Daoist sects all considered me their enemy. On the other hand, Miao Jue had said that witchcraft energy in the eyes of Buddhists was just the power of Buddha. Although I didn't know what he meant, I had a good impression of him.
No matter what key they were fighting for, I hoped that the old monks would get what they wanted. If I could help them later, I wouldn't mind helping them.
While he was lost in his thoughts, the stone door in front of him suddenly flashed with an extremely bright light. Even in this space that was originally as bright as day, it was still abnormally dazzling.
At the same time, the people from the Metaphysics Association, Mount Longhu, Buddhist Association, and Taoist Association all stopped what they were doing and lifted their heads to look at the huge door.
Daoist Zhang from Mount Longhu was the first to stand up. He shouted, "The third door is open. Begin the blood sacrifice!"
At the same time, an old man from the Taoist Association stood up. His words were even shorter. "Begin the blood sacrifice!"
Following their orders, not only did a few people from Mount Longhu and the Taoist Association stand up, but a few people from the Metaphysics Association and the Buddhist Association also stood up.
I took a quick look. Among the three rank six Daoists from Mount Longhu, Lu Zhenyang, Han Wennan, Liu Chenggan, and three other people I didn't know from the Metaphysics Association all stood up.
It was the same on the other side. There were six monks from the Buddhist Association and three Daoists from the Taoist Association.
There were nine people on each side. Both sides tacitly headed toward the cave that was closest to them. It was the blood sacrifice cave that Lu Zhenyang had mentioned.
When they reached the entrance of the cave, they were a little hesitant. However, they didn't hesitate and jumped in.
On the Metaphysics Society's side, Lu Zhenyang was the last one to jump down. Before he jumped down, he turned his head and intentionally looked in my direction. His face no longer had the anger from before. Instead, he had a strange smile on his face. He opened his mouth and silently said something to me. From the shape of his mouth, I could roughly tell that he said, "I will be back."
I didn't know what was going on, but from what he had said earlier, I understood that this so-called "blood sacrifice" would most likely result in death. Lu Zhenyang had said that he would come back. Was he going to turn into a malicious spirit and haunt me?
I smiled. Dealing with ghosts was one of my specialties.
If he really came back, I was sure that he would be in a more miserable state than when he was alive.
After doing this, Lu Zhenyang jumped down without looking back.
As he was the last to go down, the entire ground suddenly trembled, and then suddenly sank down, as if it had sunk a few meters.
This sudden change made my heart tense. I didn't know what was going on. I lifted my head to look. Except for me and the little zombie, everyone else seemed to have foreseen this situation. They stood there calmly as if they were waiting for something.
Shortly after, the sound of bubbles arose from both sides. I lifted my head to see. Something was coming out of the holes on both sides. However, it wasn't water. It was blood!
It was as if an endless amount of blood was crazily gushing out. Soon, it had reached our feet. Everyone stood still. Although I was a little scared, I didn't move.
After the blood had reached the soles of our feet, it quickly gathered by the stone door that was emitting strong light. Then, it flowed against the lines of inscriptions on the door, covering the entire door with a layer of blood. At the same time, the strong light on the door turned blood-red. Everyone was bathing in this blood-red light, waiting in silence.
I didn't know how long it had been. Squeak. No one pushed the stone door, but a slit appeared. At the same time, the light on the door dimmed, and the blood-red light disappeared.
This time, no one needed to give an order. Almost at the same time, everyone lifted their legs and walked toward the stone door. I picked up Zhang Kanwen and followed them.
When we passed by the stone door, I saw that the blood didn't stop. It dripped to the ground and then seeped into the stone door.
By the time I entered the stone door, everyone had already walked in. They all lifted their heads to look at the ceiling.
I put Zhang Kanwen aside and lifted my head to look. Instantly, I was dumbstruck.
Behind the stone door was a massive space. Above this space, eight giant chains hung upside down from eight different directions. They gathered in the center and connected to a coffin that was suspended in the air.
This coffin wasn't big. At least, compared to the thick chains, it looked very small.
It was dark, and I couldn't tell what material it was made of. However, there were many layers of inscriptions carved around it, which looked strange and shocking.
Below the eight chains was a massive space. It looked like the stands of the ancient Roman Coliseum. There were many layers, and on each layer, there were countless statues of people sitting upright. Their eyes were dull as they looked at the coffin in the middle.
The blood that had come here earlier than us had already spread to the surrounding stone statues. It then flowed against the current until it reached the roof and the eight chains. Then, it slowly flowed down along the chains. In the end, it soaked all the chains and dripped onto the coffin below.
Shortly after, the small coffin was completely covered by the blood. The inscriptions on the coffin seemed to radiate a strange light in the blood, which gradually emitted a blood-red light.
When the blood-red light reached its peak, the lid of the coffin made a squeaking sound and fell from the sky.
No one looked at the lid of the coffin. Their eyes were still focused on the coffin.
At this moment, a naked figure that looked like white jade slowly stood up from the coffin …
My eyes instantly widened.
Ye Pianpian!