Chapter 225: Temple Envoy
“Where’s Qin Lie?”
Luo Zhichang, along with Fang Qi and Jiang Hao, arrived at the forest at the rear of the mountain, hoping to ask about the current situation.
In the midst of the forest pervaded by blood mist, quite a few exhausted looking Blood Spear martial practitioners were immersed within blood pools, recovering their strength. Even upon seeing the arrival of the three great reverends, they could only stiffly nod in salute.
“Instructor Feng probably knows about the whereabouts of Sect Master Qin,” replied one of them.
Thus, the three great reverends, enduring the pungent smell of blood, traversed further into the depths of the forest. They went directly to the area where Feng Rong and Xue Li were cultivating.
“Greetings, great reverends.” As Feng Rong soaked within the pool, color gradually returned to her face. “Qin Lie went over to the poisonous bog area. He said he was going to form his ninth Natal Palace and that he was going to break through into the Manifestation Realm as quickly as possible.”
“Breaking through to the Manifestation Realm isn’t that easy. Ah, to try and advance in just several days, isn’t that forcing it a little too much?” asked Fang Qi.
“It would have been better if he just simply forged a few more Terminator Profound Bombs,” agreed Jiang Hao.
After having seen the might of the Terminator Profound Bombs, the three great reverends had all agreed that this device which contained such explosive power could indeed inflict the enemy with a heavy blow. Thus, they all believed that it was worth it for Armament Sect to invest all of its resources into forging them en masse.
The reason they had come over to find Qin Lie was because they hoped he would be willing to reveal the creation process for the Terminator Profound Bombs so that the entirety of Armament Sect’s Artificers could work on creating them.
They had all since taken to heart Xue Li’s words—that if the grade of a Terminator Profound Bomb was high enough, it would be able destroy Profound Heaven Alliance and Eight Extreme Temple!
In their minds, although Qin Lie’s artificing skills were absolutely shocking, he was still too young and his experience in artificing was still too little. In terms of attainment in artificing, he was definitely unable to surpass Mo Hai and other inner sect elders.
If… if Mo Hai and the other inner sect elders were able to forge Terminator Profound Bombs…
Such fantasies played themselves in the depths of the minds of the three great reverends. They were certain that the Terminator Profound Bombs forged by Mo Hai and the other inner sect elders would definitely be at least a grade higher than Qin Lie’s and perhaps play a truly decisive role who had the final word.
“Heh, you want the forging methods for the Terminator Profound Bomb? You want the list of spirit materials and detailed configuration process, right?”
From within the pool from which fist sized bubbles of blood emerged, the cynical cackle of Xue Li emanated out. “The forging method of the Terminator Profound Bomb, from my point of view, is something which cannot be told to others. In the case this kind of overbearing, wondrous treasure, which is enough to transform a sect and even an entire continent, is leaked, I’m afraid it would give birth to many incidents.”
The expressions of the three great reverends became solemn.
Luo Zhichang said, “Senior’s words are very true. The power of the Terminator Profound Bomb is much too terrifying. If someone else were to acquire it, I’m afraid it would indeed cause numerous calamitous events to break out. For us to come over and make this request, we naturally will ensure that upon receiving the forging methods, we will treat it as the most important and most valuable secret of Armament Sect. We will definitely not allow it to be leaked!”
“As a nearly extinguished sect, all of your promises are fragile and weak, especially ones which deal with your own artificers. Those are the least convincing.” Xue Li’s ghastly voice emanated out through the constant popping sounds of blood bubbles exploding. “The vast majority of artificers are ones who enjoy life and fear death. Even though there are occasionally one or two who have stronger willpower, their cultivation is not enough and are nonetheless unable to withstand being tortured.
“As for you all?” Xue Li cackled, “As soon as your sect is destroyed, if I wanted to seize the forging process of the Terminator Profound Bomb from your minds, I would have a hundred ways to do so. Do you believe me?”
As his words faded, a dense, fiendish aura engulfed the entire mountain forest and immediately entered the minds of the three great reverends.
After a moment, the three great reverends suddenly felt as if they had been pulled into a blood-filled purgatory. Numerous bloodthirsty demons and monsters had appeared in front of them and were charging at them.
Countless blood colored monsters cackled as they ravaged through the three great reverends’ minds and seized their various memories. They bound up all the specks of light that represented their memory imprints, as if they were going to drag them out of the reverends’ minds.
“AHHHH!”
The three great reverends clutched their heads as they tragically screamed out, their faces devoid of color. It was as if they were about to lose all of their memories.
“Senior!” cried Feng Rong.
Xue Li just coldly cackled.
All of the bloodthirsty, evil spirits, which had invaded the minds of the three great reverends, quickly withdrew like the tide, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
The illusionary sea of blood that they saw also gradually returned to normal, eventually turning back into the mountain forest at the rear of the mountain.
“You three can be considered to be quite tough. As for those other inner sect elders, I’m afraid it would have been even more unbearable.” Xue Li scoffed, “If you give those people the formula for forging Terminator Profound Bombs, then if the people of Eight Extreme Temple and Profound Heaven Alliance want to find and take it, they will truly have no difficulties.”
The three great reverends all had expressions of embarrassment on their faces.
“If we can mass produce these Terminator Profound Bombs, perhaps… perhaps our sect won’t be destroyed. If our enemies cannot break in, then it isn’t possible for them to control us,” whispered Jiang Hao.
“Learning the steps to forging such a wondrous treasure will require a period of time. However, you all don’t quite have such!” Xue Li coldly snickered, “In regard to the Terminator Profound Bomb, you all should care less. This thing isn’t something you all can acquire. It would be much better for you all to just remain on the mountain!”
The eyes of the three great reverends darkened.
Xue Li had pointed out the crucial flaw in their plan. Even if they had the facilities and resources to forge Terminator Profound Bombs, it wasn’t something they could instantly learn how to do.
Furthermore, there was no way that Profound Heaven Alliance and Eight Extreme Temple would give them that much time.
Three days later.
A male riding atop a Green Hunting Bat descended from amidst the clouds in the sky, landing in front of the gate to Armament City’s Fire District.
“It’s a Rank Four spirit beast, a Green Hunting Bat!” loudly exclaimed Cloud Sky Mountain’s Ji Liu.
“It’s the messenger from Eight Extreme Temple!” Jiang Yuan whispered as he immediately walked forward, respectfully saying, “Cloud Sky Mountain’s Jiang Yuan greets the Temple’s Envoy.”
“Purple Mist Sea’s Yu Dai greets the Temple’s Envoy,” saluted Yu Dai, walking forward.
Cloud Sky Mountain and Purple Mist Sea were both vassal forces of Eight Extreme Palace. Even though Jiang Yuan and Yu Dai were both arrogant people, upon seeing the messenger in the sky, they couldn’t help but respectfully bow at this time.
This was because, one day, when they stepped into the next realm, they would enter Eight Extreme Temple and become a part of it.
“I am the temple’s Green Robed Envoy Zhan Tianyi. What’s the situation like right now?” The messenger dismounted from the Green Hunting Bat. He wore green colored robes which were covered with a magnificent, grand palace insignia. Bathed in the sun’s rays, the palace insignia gave off a sacred, untouchable feeling of majesty.
—It was Eight Extreme Temple, a renowned sacred temple built on top of Skypiercing Mountain.
Skypiercing Mountain was rumored to be the tallest mountain in all of Scarlet Tide Continent. Its peak directly penetrated into the depths of the clouds.
Eight Extreme Temple was located atop the peak of Skypiercing Mountain. Its Temple of Cultivation was grand and magnificent and was perennially within the depths of the clouds where it silently towered, mysteriously fading in and out of sight.
Perhaps it was because Eight Extreme Temple was located so high up, but all of the truly high-ranked practitioners of Eight Extreme Temple would have flying mounts.
The Rank Four Green Hunting Bat was the standard mount of a green robed envoy. It was able to bring its rider smoothly into the extremities of the sky, and thus, was a convenient way for them to enter and exit Eight Extreme Temple.
The external practitioners of Eight Extreme Temple were called envoys and were separated into white robed, green robed, and golden robed envoys.
Among these, white robed envoys had the lowest status, as their mount was a Rank Three Golden Boned Bird. Tu Xi, an early stage Fulfillment Realm practitioner, was a white robed envoy.
Green robed envoys had statuses that were one level higher and had Rank Four Green Hunting Bats as their mounts. They usually had a cultivation in the late stage of the Fulfillment Realm and were the backbone of Eight Extreme Temple.
As for the almighty gold robed envoys, they were rarely seen moving atop the continent. Not even the leaders of the vassal forces, Purple Mist Sea and Cloud Sky Mountain, knew what the general realm and mount of gold robed envoys were.
They only knew Eight Extreme Temple generally only dispatched white robed and green robed envoys for external affairs, as there usually wasn’t the need for a gold robed envoy to personally deal with anything.
It was rumored that every time a gold robed envoy moved, a torrential rain of blood would follow. The heads of countless martial practitioners would litter the ground.
Based on what Yu Dai and Jiang Yuan knew, within Eight Extreme Temple, there were no more than five gold robed envoys. Each one of them was a gem of Eight Extreme Temple, a taboo power of Eight Extreme Temple.
They were only loyal to the temple master.
“Before your arrival, we didn’t dare act rashly and thus have just gathered here,” replied Jiang Yuan.
“Envoy, Xie Zhizhang of the Xie Family has also been imprisoned at Armament Sect’s plaza,” reminded Yu Dai.
Green Robed Envoy Zhan Tianyi lightly chuckled and nodded, “Interesting. It seems as if this Armament Sect truly cannot be taken lightly. Even Xie Zhizhang has taken a loss. It is fortunate that the temple and Profound Heaven Alliance have made moves now. If we had given them another ten or so years to develop, Armament Sect might have truly become a Copper rank force, becoming the third one alongside the temple and Profound Heaven Alliance.”
“The temple is indeed wise,” said Jiang Yuan respectfully.
Zhan Tianyi squinted as he looked towards the side of Dark Asura Hall and Seven Fiends Valley, his gaze eventually landing on the figure of Xie Jingxuan. He began to laugh as he asked, “Now that Xie Zhizhang has been imprisoned, what has the Xie Family’s attitude been like?”
“They have ceased all movements and are waiting for reinforcements to arrive,” Yu Dai chipped in.
Zhan Tianyi nodded, then said, “Then let us continue waiting. I want to see who Profound Heaven Alliance is going to send over.”
And thus, everyone continued waiting.
Another two days passed.
A middle aged man, holding an ancient text in his hand and wearing white scholar’s robes appeared riding atop a Silver Armored Giant Alligator. No one had any clue as to where he had suddenly emerged from.
“Song Siyuan!” Upon seeing the newcomer, Zhan Tianyi suddenly began to laugh. “It seems like Profound Heaven Alliance is truly not holding anything back.”
“Uncle Song,” whispered Xie Jingxuan. She bowed in salute, a bright light flashing through her eyes.
The body of the Rank Four Silver Armored Giant Alligator was ten or so meters long. It was like a moving mountain of flesh. Its body was covered in grayish brown folds of skin and its eyes were the size of fists. Within those very eyes, a terrifying, soul-shocking glint flashed, causing everyone to shudder.
Upon seeing the Green Hunting Bat, the Silver Armored Giant Alligator growled as violent fluctuations of energy began to exude from its giant body.
As for the crouched Green Hunting Bat beside Zhan Tianyi, it flew into the skies where it began to circle. It began to incessantly caw sharp noises, unwilling to show weakness as it began to confront the Silver Armored Giant Alligator.
“Behave.” The man atop the giant alligator furrowed his brows shouted a command before immediately beginning to chuckle. He nodded towards Xie Jingxuan. “When I was leaving, your father specifically told me that I had to definitely rescue your second uncle first. You can rest assured that this time, I will not ignore the safety of Brother Xie and act recklessly.”
Xie Jingxuan let out an obvious breath of air. “Thank you, Uncle Song.”
“Brother Song, if you put it this way, then does it mean that you already have a plan for rescuing them?”
Zhan Tianyi’s gaze focused on the figure of Song Siyuan, ignoring the nearby practitioners of Dark Asura Hall, Seven Fiends Valley, Dark Shadow Tower, Cloud Sky Mountain, and Purple Mist Sea.
This was a conversation between the higher status practitioners only.
“Leave the rescuing to me. Just put in some more effort later on when we start fighting,” chuckled Song Siyuan.
Afterwards, under the gazes of everyone there, Song Siyuan’s body suddenly became transparent, as though his flesh and skin had turned into some sort of transparent crystal. This abnormality lasted for a while with his body turning increasingly see-through.
It reached the point where his body slowly disappeared from everyone’s sights, turning completely invisible.