The Human Emperor was forced to halt his killing intent.
He stiffened his neck, staring intently at the words for a long moment, then let out a dry laugh and lowered his gaze.
However, though Gu Junshi had "tethered" his savage claws and brought him to a stop, this did not mean Liu Jiang Fusheng would cease his actions.
The "Cloud Thunder Letter" had stated things clearly and unambiguously; how could he allow the Human Emperor to leave so smoothly and easily?
A pure, innocent smile bloomed on his face.
He had to stall, to drag this out until the third "Cloud Thunder Letter" arrived.
At this moment, the initially solemn and tense atmosphere took on a different chemical reaction inexplicably due to Gu Junshi's remote intervention.
The Ghost King, who had been intimidated into not daring to act by the second "Cloud Thunder Letter," seemed to have been fitted with a gag and chains, transforming from a black dragon bent on world destruction and the slaughter of humanity. Once its fierce and powerful offensive capabilities were restrained, it was no longer an unrestrained, chaotic beast.
Lu Ziyin also seemed to have seized upon the Human Emperor's weakness. Where was the arrogant bluster from before? Indeed, the wicked in this world needed even more wicked to temper them. He couldn't stand seeing the Human Emperor well, especially after his previous words: "I will accompany you day and night, stay with you every night." Jealousy had blinded him, making him completely forget the gap in their strength; perhaps a single finger could crush him.
He casually twirled a short fan in his hand, unfurling it, and said with a hint of flippancy, "What do you take this place for? Come when you please, leave when you please?"
Yan Tianjiao's phoenix eyes were cold and melancholic. He cupped his palms, conjuring a screen of water and ice crystals, the chilling aura condensing the moisture in the air into ice daggers.
Lu Ziyin, standing beside him, instantly shivered from the cold.
The chilling aura emanating from this Ice Spirit Root was not the cold of natural weather; it was a pain that could penetrate to the bone. For those whose spiritual power could not match his, the suffering was unspeakable.
"Hold back a bit, don't end up freezing your own people while the enemy is fine," he grumbled softly through clenched teeth.
Not to mention him, Cheng Hong saw that Master Huiming and the others were currently lacking in spiritual power. If they were to unleash their spiritual power without restraint, and if these people truly attacked together, it might endanger them.
He knew that the Human Emperor was indifferent to whether these insignificant people stayed or left, so he instructed Master Huiming and the others to first take everyone to Rong City to handle important matters.
The Human Emperor was indeed indifferent to the comings and goings of Master Huiming and his group, but his gaze fell upon the "insects" who dared to provoke him, sharp as if they were clinging to his bones: "Liu Jiang Fusheng aside, what are you…?"
He seemed genuinely curious.
Yan Tianjiao's eyes suddenly turned cold, and his icy red lips curled slightly: "Shameless!"
This was an insult.
Lu Ziyin, on the other hand, looked at him in surprise: "That word… it seems to be the first time you've used it on the correct target."
Although the scene was deathly still and frozen, Fu Wanyan was still amused by this exchange.
"Is this all you've got? I'm far more shameless than what you're calling me. At least when it comes to making a fuss over trivial matters or bullying the weak, I don't feel any shame at all."
The Human Emperor accepted this with a look of utter frankness. He even nodded with a smile, but the brighter his expression, the more vicious his actions became, like a schizoid pervert.
A torrent, like black water rushing through a vertical gorge, slammed onto the ground. The agitated black "giant wave" exploded upwards over a zhang high, its momentum fierce and brutal.
The main target of this surge of energy was Lu Ziyin, who had already retreated repeatedly as the Human Emperor moved, leaping and soaring. Yan Tianjiao, after pulling out to a safe distance, lowered his body, crossed his arms, and gathered a massive amount of cold light with his fingers, then sent it flying.
"Kid, do you know who I am?" The Human Emperor extended a palm to the sky, his grip imaginary. The "giant wave," frozen into an ice wall, writhed like an enraged python or dragon. With a crackling sound, the ice shattered, and the black energy emerging from the cracks grew thicker and thicker.
"Yan Tianjiao—"
Lu Ziyin was startled and quickly turned back, but he knew his own strength was merely showing off in front of the Human Emperor. However, he couldn't just abandon Yan Tianjiao, who was taking a blow for him.
This was a prime example of "talking big feels good, but dealing with the consequences is hell."
Although he knew the Human Emperor had been famous for a long time, being an elder of elders among them, he had misinterpreted Gu Junshi's effortless taming of the ferocious beast.
Forgive him, he had been superficial. He had no idea how terrifying a ferocious beast truly was.
Gu Junshi's ability to easily control him was her skill, but he, lacking the necessary tools, had insisted on taking on such a task, leading to severe consequences.
Fortunately, they were not fighting alone. As the Human Emperor said, he felt no shame in "bullying the small"; why should they insist on a one-on-one fight? Wouldn't a group attack be more satisfying?
Cheng Hong intervened. Before Lu Ziyin could return and while Yan Tianjiao was preparing to unleash his ultimate skill, he was the first to confront the Human Emperor.
He unfurled a palm strike, the wind lifting his wide white robe like pure, flowing clouds in the sky, creating ripples. His eyes were clear and bright, his expression solemn. This "Prajna Palm" strike was even more authentic and imposing than those displayed by some high-ranking Buddhist monks the Human Emperor had encountered before.
The Human Emperor dared not be careless for a moment. He pushed with both palms, black qi rolling like a torrential current. It collided with the golden palm print in mid-air. Both sides were on the verge of collapse, their robes fluttering in the violent wind.
"Are you a Buddha's son of Maha Chan Chi?"
Just like the first time they met, he asked the same question.
The only difference was that the tone back then was lazy and playful, with a sense of toying with a crushed insect. This time, it was chillingly probing, as if his existence had touched the Human Emperor's bottom line, transforming him from a state of casualness to a desire to eliminate him completely.
"You've recovered to this extent of cultivation, so your seal must have been largely removed. It won't affect you much. It's best not to tamper with the remaining seal."
"Bald donkey, that's a ridiculous thing to say. Would you pull out half the knife stuck in your chest and leave the other half?" the Human Emperor mocked.
It wasn't surprising that the other party knew about the seal on him. If he was indeed a Buddha's son of Maha Chan Temple, then one of the old monks from Maha Chan Temple was among those who had sealed him back then.
But Cheng Hong said earnestly, "Some knives serve as warnings and also as protection. If it wounds the heart and there is no remedy, is it harmful or beneficial to rashly pull it out?"
The Human Emperor didn't understand why this bald donkey was rambling on about such ambiguous matters. This was perhaps a occupational hazard of being a monk; as soon as they saw a wayward sinner, they wanted to persuade them to drop their butcher's knife and attain Buddhahood.
Liu Jiang Fusheng, seeing Cheng Hong make his move, intended to observe the gap in their strengths. However, upon hearing Cheng Hong's words of admonishment to the Human Emperor, he found it peculiar.
Two individuals who were strangers to each other, one righteous and one evil, one Buddhist and one ghost, inherently opposed, yet Cheng Hong seemed to possess a sense of responsibility and atonement towards the Human Emperor.
Was this the inherent professional quality of someone who could be a Buddha's son?
In reality, Cheng Hong's complex emotions were known to no one.
In his first life, Cheng Hong, due to a selfish impulse, disregarded Gu Junshi's wishes and delivered the Human Emperor, who was disheartened and seeking death, to salvation.
At that time, the Human Emperor, having had his seal lifted and knowing the truth of everything, found him. He said that he knew Cheng Hong had been in private contact with Gu Junshi, and their relationship was not ordinary.
He also knew that Cheng Hong had always wanted Gu Junshi to leave him and cultivate the orthodox Dharma of merit with him.